10 Amazing Animal Experiences for Ecotourists and Wildlife Lovers Touring Scotland this Summer

Photo: AP/REX/Shutterstock; Arterra/UIG/Getty Images; Universal History Archive/UIG/Getty Images; Saryn Chorney

If you’ve grown up thinking the only animal worth photographing in Scotland is the Loch Ness Monster, think again. This Northern U.K. nation is an ecotourist and wildlife enthusiast’s dream, with many decades and even centuries ofconservation effortsstill coming to fruition. Perhaps all this energy towards animals and the environment will even bring back Scotland’s national animal,the unicorn, one day!

In all seriousness, Scotland truly is a magical land, filled with fairy tale castles andfairy glensand exotic pixie-like birds called puffins. (We’ll get back to those little charmers in a moment.) If you’re considering a European tour or road trip this summer, we highly recommend this under-the-radar destination. Sure, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August gets a ton of hype, but have you heard about the Highlands? Or Cairngorms National Park? How about Isle of Skye and Oban, or the Hebrides and Treshnish islands? If your answer is no, then carve out 7 to 10 days, book a cheap flight, and hold on tight to your camera phone because there’s so much beauty to see and so many animal adventures to be had in Scotland, you’ll want to document every location for your friends back home tooohandahhabout on your social media platform of choice.

Just remember,you don’t have to take a selfie with every awesome creature you encounter. In many cases it is neither safe for the animal or yourself. So let your ego take a backseat during this travel experience and try to honor Mother Nature with photos and filming from afar unless you’re working with a professional under very specific conditions.

And now, without further ado, here are ten of the most outstandingly special interspecies meet and greets to expect from your Scottish travels. Be sure to check out theAssociation of Scottish Visitor Attractionsfor more itinerary ideas and information.

The Loch Ness Monster

Dogs

Highland Cows (a.k.a. “Coos”)

Saryn Chorney

Sheep (and Lambs!)

Puffins

Raptors

If your puffin adventure leaves you longing for a more in-depth avian experience, we highly recommend meeting the birds of prey atFinn Falconry,located in Inverawe Park, just east of Oban. Our professional falconer, Paul, introduced us to an intriguing cast of characters: Egor the Golden/Steppe Eagle, Tak a Bengal Eagle Owl, Stanley a Great Horned Owl, Zach the Harris Hawk, Khalifa a Barbary tiercel, Gale the Kestrel, and Freya an 11-week-old Gyr/Saker falcon. Interested parties can sign up for flying displays, hawk walks along a nature trail or a full 3-hour falconry experience where you’ll be introduced to these magnificent birds, learn basic safety, hawk handling, falconry methods and equipment, how to make a falconer’s knot and go on a hawk walk. We handled, flew and fed nearly all of the raptors (including the owls!) except for Egor, whom we met, but did not personally fly (he can get moody in the rain). Paul is a delightful, extremely knowledgeable and passionate teacher and guide.A morning (or afternoon) is a truly unforgettable activity for the whole family. Be sure to head to the world famousOban whisky distilleryfor a tourafteryou handle the birds!

Reindeer

Located just a stone’s throw away from the aforementioned working sheepdogs, theCairngorm Reindeer Centerin Aviemore, within Cairngorms National Park, is home to a spectacular herd of reindeer. (When we said Scotland was magical, we meant it!) Though it’s doubtful you’ll see them fly, these gorgeous pack animals arewelcoming of visitors nearly year round. Schedule a short hike up the mountainside to meet the herd, or visit the paddocks where a smaller group of animals are cared for. The treks take place during all kinds of weather aside from massive blizzard conditions, so wear your wellies and a waterproof jacket. Children will love the reindeer, but dogs are not allowed (the deer are scared of them). If you’ve never pet a reindeer’s soft velvet nose before, you’re in for a treat, as visitors are allowed to hand-feed these endearing, friendly and unforgettable animals.

Bats

It’s only fitting that the ruins of a castle originally built in the 1200s would be home tobats, but we still never expected to see one napping — during the daytime! — and out in the open on the ledge of a bridge just above theKildrummy castlegrounds’ bountifulgarden ravine. Possibly a Daubenton’s bat, there are a handful of bat species that live in Scotland. We also saw a couple of them fluttering in the moonlight surrounding the grandEdinburgh Castleat night. Bats and castles, they just go together, right?

Cats

While dogs definitely seem to be the preferred domestic pets,Edinburgh’s Maison De Moggy cat caferivals any such establishment in the U.S. or Asia with its sheer breed diversity. And don’t leave Edinburgh without a visit toSummerhall for Pickering’s Gin distillery tour;the spirit is distilled within the walls of a former veterinary hospital and the gin is specifically made inside the former cat kennels (which doesn’t explain it’s peacock mascot, but we’re not complaining). Plus, keep an eye out for the kitchen cat insideEilean Donan castle, and theLion’s Den at Dunnottar Castle.

Sea Life: Otters, Seals, Whales, Dolphins, Basking Sharks and More!

We had to group this category together because there are just so many amazing sea-dwelling species to be seen in Scotland, particularly on theIsle of Mull, that we’d need to make this a Top 20 (or more) list if we included them all. First of all, there are “Otter Crossing” signs all over the island, so if that isn’t reason enough to go, we don’t know what is. OK, maybe the possibility of seeing basking sharks in shallow waters just off the beach, as well as dolphins, porpoises, minke whales, humpback whales, killer whales, grey seals, sea eagles and 260 other species of birds.Chanonry Point, just north of Inverness, is another popular spot for frequent sea mammal sightings. And Plockton, an adorable village just before the bridge that connects the mainland to theIsle of Skye, offersseal and dolphin tours. In general, all of Scotland’s coastline and islands are a marine life wonderland. You really can’t go wrong. Conservation tourism is big business in this beautiful country and it’s clear why.

source: people.com