Wildlife Watch Trip

The headline act is the resident pod of bottlenose dolphins in the Inner Moray Firth, which turns up on most trips and tends to put on a proper show when it does. Supporting cast includes harbour porpoise (shy, surfaces twice and vanishes), common and grey seals lolling on the rocks, and the occasional minke whale drifting through in summer. Cliffs along the way host noisy seabird colonies and a smattering of crumbling wartime fortifications, which is a generous bonus for a wildlife trip.

The skipper is upfront about the contract here: nothing is fed, trained or persuaded to perform, and the animals are perfectly entitled to be elsewhere. Most days you get fins. Some days you get a single dorsal flash and a long, contemplative scan of the horizon. That is the deal you sign up for, and frankly it is more honest than a dolphinarium.

Trips run from spring through early autumn, with May to September the sweet spot — calmer seas, longer light, and the best odds of dolphins, porpoise and seabirds all on one outing. Minke whale sightings cluster in July and August. Seals are around all year. Wind decides everything: a brisk northerly will cancel the trip outright, so build in a buffer day or two if you are travelling specifically for this. EcoVentures will let you know early rather than send you out to be seasick on principle.

Wet weather gear and lifejackets are provided, which sounds optional until the spray starts. Underneath, layer like you mean it — thermal, fleece, then the supplied waterproofs — because two hours on the open sea finds every gap in your wardrobe. Closed shoes with grip, a hat that will not blow off, sunglasses, and sun cream even when it looks overcast. Binoculars help enormously. A camera with a long lens helps your ego.

It is suitable for ages five and up, and families do well on it, though the booking has to be made by an adult and children must be accompanied throughout. Refreshments and a running commentary come with the ticket. Departure is from Keiss Harbour at Wick, on the Caithness coast a short drive south of the Orkney ferry — useful if you are pairing this with a Scrabster crossing. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before, which is exactly the buffer the British weather demands.