Best UK birdwatching holiday site? (1 Viewer)

[Kevin]

Next year, me and the missus want to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary with a really good UK wildlife holiday .

Can anyone suggest a suitable location?

This year we went to Farne (fantastic) and we have been thinking about Islay for 2008 (Simon King has done a good selling job on Springwatch), although we don't know what accomodation is like.

Any ideas?

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Next year, me and the missus want to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary with a really good UK wildlife holiday .

Can anyone suggest a suitable location?

This year we went to Farne (fantastic) and we have been thinking about Islay for 2008 (Simon King has done a good selling job on Springwatch), although we don't know what accomodation is like.

Any ideas?

There's a wide range of accommodation in Islay, so you'd probably be well catered for. Have a look here:
http://www.isle-of-islay.com/self/index.html

It's certainly as good as anywhere in the UK for a wildlife holiday, with plenty to see at all times of the year.

 

[Farnboro John]

It kind of depends where you've been before, what you want to see and how much effort you want to put in either driving or walking over terrain. (30th anniversary is kind of suggestive in that regard but you may both be marathon runners!)

If it was me I'd probably suggest Scilly, Speyside, Ardnamurchan or Mull.

Congratulations next year and have a great time, anyway.

John

 

[Ruby]

Congrats on the upcoming anniversary Kevin....

A couple of other possibilities to add to the suggested list.... How about Norfolk (at more-or-less anytime) or the New Forest (particularly good in Spring) or Forest of Dean (ditto)

 

[ronsteenvoorden]

There's a wide range of accommodation in Islay, so you'd probably be well catered for. Have a look here:
http://www.isle-of-islay.com/self/index.html

Kevin,
You will find even more information about islay here: http://www.islayinfo.com

I just returned from a trip to Islay. It's just magic!! So enjoy!!

 

[Jane Turner]

Outer Hebs are stunning this time of year, assuming its this time of year you are talking about.

 

[Kevin]

It kind of depends where you've been before, what you want to see and how much effort you want to put in either driving or walking over terrain. (30th anniversary is kind of suggestive in that regard but you may both be marathon runners!)

If it was me I'd probably suggest Scilly, Speyside, Ardnamurchan or Mull.

Congratulations next year and have a great time, anyway.

John

Thanks John

We're not BIG walkers, maybe 5-6 miles a day.

What could we expect to see in these places?

 

[Stewart J.]

A colleague owns the following house and I advised some friends of it and they had a fantastic holiday earlier this year.

This place is awesome for anyone wanting an away from it all holiday. The cottage is literally on the shore at Kylerhea on the Isle of Skye. As a rough guide this is at the north end of the Sound of Sleat opposite Glenelg on mainland.

Literally Otters almost at the door, great for birds Shearwaters (hundreds just offshore) May to September and occasionally stormies hundreds of auks and breeding Black Guilemots.

Views are spectacular with some superb walks. Cottage well appointed with all mod cons.

The 3 pics I took from onboard ship as we transited the narrows at various times.

Pic 1 the cottage is last on left
Pic 2 In foreground
pic 3 Again last on left.

www.houseonthepoint.co.uk

Stewart

 

[Farnboro John]

Thanks John

We're not BIG walkers, maybe 5-6 miles a day.

What could we expect to see in these places?

Scilly varies with the time of year but usually has something of interest.

Speyside is classic Scottish birding with Golden Eagle, Osprey in summer, Crested Tit, Capercaillie, Ptarmigan, Snow Bunting, Twite, Dipper, a bewildering array of Crossbills for the masochistic, as well as Red Deer, Red Squirrels, Mountain Hares, chances of Pine Marten (especially by using facilitires like the Speyside Wiildlife hide), Otter, Feral Goats up the Findhorn Valley, Bottlenose Dolphins nearby in the Moray Firth....

Ardnamurchan Has good coastal birding with divers, auks including Black Guillemot, excellent seawatching from the Point of Ardnamurchan where rafts of Manxies in the evening may be joined by odd Storm Petrels and skuas. Cetaceans also good in summer e.g Minke Whales, Common Dolphins regular and I have seen White-beaked Dolphin too. There are breeding Giolden Eagles, a couple of resident White-tailed Eagles, Peregrines, Hen Harriers, and with luck, insomnia and a spotlight Otters, Pine Martens in profusion and Wildcats.

Mull is White-tailed Eagle city and also has Goldies, plenty of Otters, easy access to Iona for Corncrakes, organised cetacean trips from Tobermory, Hen Harriers, Short-eared Owls.....

I can't recommend any of them too highly.

John

 

[Kevin]

Scilly varies with the time of year but usually has something of interest.

Speyside is classic Scottish birding with Golden Eagle, Osprey in summer, Crested Tit, Capercaillie, Ptarmigan, Snow Bunting, Twite, Dipper, a bewildering array of Crossbills for the masochistic, as well as Red Deer, Red Squirrels, Mountain Hares, chances of Pine Marten (especially by using facilitires like the Speyside Wiildlife hide), Otter, Feral Goats up the Findhorn Valley, Bottlenose Dolphins nearby in the Moray Firth....

Ardnamurchan Has good coastal birding with divers, auks including Black Guillemot, excellent seawatching from the Point of Ardnamurchan where rafts of Manxies in the evening may be joined by odd Storm Petrels and skuas. Cetaceans also good in summer e.g Minke Whales, Common Dolphins regular and I have seen White-beaked Dolphin too. There are breeding Giolden Eagles, a couple of resident White-tailed Eagles, Peregrines, Hen Harriers, and with luck, insomnia and a spotlight Otters, Pine Martens in profusion and Wildcats.

Mull is White-tailed Eagle city and also has Goldies, plenty of Otters, easy access to Iona for Corncrakes, organised cetacean trips from Tobermory, Hen Harriers, Short-eared Owls.....

I can't recommend any of them too highly.

John

That just sounds awesome - just takes your breath away.

Thanks, I'll start doing some work on these locations

 

[JDatchens]

That just sounds awesome - just takes your breath away.

Thanks, I'll start doing some work on these locations

It's actually quite easy to cover all three locations in one holiday, depending on time available and whether you're planning to stay in B&Bs or rent self-catering cottages (again, if you can afford three weeks' holiday, it's would still be possible to do it that way!)

Start in Speyside; then from Kingussie take the A86 along Glen Spean (lovely scenery) to Fort William then south to the Corran Narrows ferry to Ardnamurchan or, if you fancy a longer but very scenic route, (superb views of Ben Nevis!) go via Spean Bridge and the B8004/A830/A861 alongside the Caledonian Canal and round Loch Eil to Ardnamurchan. This route also allows for a short extension to see the Glenfinan Monument. While on Ardnamurchan, make time to visit the beautiful white sands of Sanna Bay as well as the lighthouse at the Point, with its views out to Muck, Eigg and Rum. From Ardnamurchan, take the A884 from near Strontian across Morvern (the longer way on the coastal B8043 is also an excellent if interesting drive and is good for Divers offshore): both Golden and White-tailed Eagles are frequently seen from the high parts of the A road. Take the ferry from Lochaline to Fishnish on Mull and after your stay there you can return home via the ferry from Craignure to Oban. Purchasing a Caledonian-MacBrayne "Hopscotch" ticket for the two crossings works out quite a bit cheaper with the added comfort of knowing you have your place booked!

If Mrs Kevin isn't quite so keen on the wildlife aspect, there is plenty of beautiful scenery to be enjoyed;the Abbey on Iona, some great strolls; Tobermory ("Balamory" to the grand-kids!); the distillery there; boat trips to Staffa (Fingal's Cave & Puffins) the Treshnish Isles (Lunga & Puffins) - wherever you decide to go, hope you have a great time and Congratulations on 30 years of marriage!

I suspect after the publicity of this year's "Springwatch", Islay may well be rather too popular next year. Anytime in May or June would be a perfect time for the above trip...

 

[Stephen C]

How about Norfolk (at more-or-less anytime)

Norfolk would be my suggestion but definitely in winter. You can't go on a once in a lifetime trip without the geese. Then there's the flocks of Snow Bunting and Shore Lark (aka Horned Lark). If you time it right I'm sure you can tap into some migrants and vagrants too.

Have a good 'un.

 

[bitterntwisted]

It's actually quite easy to cover all three locations in one holiday, depending on time available and whether you're planning to stay in B&Bs or rent self-catering cottages (again, if you can afford three weeks' holiday, it's would still be possible to do it that way!)

Start in Speyside; then from Kingussie take the A86 along Glen Spean (lovely scenery) to Fort William then south to the Corran Narrows ferry to Ardnamurchan or, if you fancy a longer but very scenic route, (superb views of Ben Nevis!) go via Spean Bridge and the B8004/A830/A861 alongside the Caledonian Canal and round Loch Eil to Ardnamurchan. This route also allows for a short extension to see the Glenfinan Monument. While on Ardnamurchan, make time to visit the beautiful white sands of Sanna Bay as well as the lighthouse at the Point, with its views out to Muck, Eigg and Rum. From Ardnamurchan, take the A884 from near Strontian across Morvern (the longer way on the coastal B8043 is also an excellent if interesting drive and is good for Divers offshore): both Golden and White-tailed Eagles are frequently seen from the high parts of the A road. Take the ferry from Lochaline to Fishnish on Mull and after your stay there you can return home via the ferry from Craignure to Oban. Purchasing a Caledonian-MacBrayne "Hopscotch" ticket for the two crossings works out quite a bit cheaper with the added comfort of knowing you have your place booked!

If Mrs Kevin isn't quite so keen on the wildlife aspect, there is plenty of beautiful scenery to be enjoyed;the Abbey on Iona, some great strolls; Tobermory ("Balamory" to the grand-kids!); the distillery there; boat trips to Staffa (Fingal's Cave & Puffins) the Treshnish Isles (Lunga & Puffins) - wherever you decide to go, hope you have a great time and Congratulations on 30 years of marriage!

I suspect after the publicity of this year's "Springwatch", Islay may well be rather too popular next year. Anytime in May or June would be a perfect time for the above trip...

Did this itinerary in 5 days at the end of May - should have taken 5 weeks - absolutely amazing. Saw Golden and White-Tailed Eagles, Osprey, Short-eared and Long-eared Owls, Merlin, Glaucous Gull, Roseate, Sandwich, Common & Arctic Terns, Black and Common Guillemots, Razorbills, Puffins, Red Throated Divers, Slavonian Grebe, Crested Tits, Scottish Crossbill, Wood Warblers, White Wagtail, Mountain Hare, Red Deer, Common Seal and what can only have been a Kellas Cat. EDIT to add: Ptarmigans, Ring Ouzels, Peregrine. Only missed Capercaillie, Corncrake, Pine Marten and Otter due to poor timing and planning which also meant we didn't explore Ardnamurchan or get to Iona. So keen to do it again I'm even trying to wangle a return in the next couple of weeks. Cannot recommend it highly enough although the later you go the more you'll need the insect repellent.

Graham

 

[Kevin]

Did this itinerary in 5 days at the end of May - should have taken 5 weeks - absolutely amazing.

I wonder if we have discovered the ultimate UK wildlife holiday itinerary

Can anyone beat it?

 

[Yorkiebird]

Next year, me and the missus want to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary with a really good UK wildlife holiday .

Can anyone suggest a suitable location?

This year we went to Farne (fantastic) and we have been thinking about Islay for 2008 (Simon King has done a good selling job on Springwatch), although we don't know what accomodation is like.

Any ideas?

Plenty of otters and eagles on Mull also excellent accommodation we've just had a brilliant week.|:d|

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

I suspect after the publicity of this year's "Springwatch", Islay may well be rather too popular next year. Anytime in May or June would be a perfect time for the above trip...

I think the 'Springwatch effect' might mean that it's harder to find accommodation in Islay, particularly during the summer, which is popular anyway. But it's a big enough island not to get too crowded even when 'full'. The other advantage is the year round interest, meaning that you should have a great holiday at anytime. Islay is also a very good place for finding rarities, particularly these days when it's not being as well watched as it used to be.

By the way Graham, where did you see a Roseate Tern? I'd suggest that would be a pretty notable rarity in any of the areas you visited.

 

[bitterntwisted]

By the way Graham, where did you see a Roseate Tern? I'd suggest that would be a pretty notable rarity in any of the areas you visited.

Stopped at Hauxley, Northumbs on the way up the A1, Andrew. Cheating really but couldn't leave a lifer off the trip list. Also Scaup at Vane Farm on the way up. If we'd had more time could have done Caerlaverock, Leighton Moss on the loop back down. So even the pit stops on this one are great!

Graham

 

[Lucky Birder]

Sussex is good in May. I used to stay at Selsey and do seawatching in the morning from dawn and then bird Pagham and Church Norton in the afternoon. Always something good about. The pubs in Selsey are excellent and you've got Chichester for shops etc if your wife/girlfriend/partner wants some variation.

 

[James]

Having visited Mull, Skye and Speyside on several occasions my vote would be for Speyside for 2 reasons.

Sheer variety.
Easy access to LOTS of good places.

Got married there and spent honeymoon birdwatching.

James

 

[Kevin]

Having visited Mull, Skye and Speyside on several occasions my vote would be for Speyside for 2 reasons.

Got married there and spent honeymoon birdwatching.

James

I can beat that...

On our honeymoon we went 'sabbing'.

In our early twenties we were Hunt Sabboteurs, going out on fox hunts to protest. Our friends thought we were nuts.

We probably were...but we were in love!