UK Tourist & Leisure Attractions

650 miles after leaving Sussex we arrived at our Scotland holiday cottage in Piperhill, near Nairn, Morayshire.  Belinda is just about to make Mike a wee cup of tea to drink in the conservatory.
 

Looking the other way from the last picture, we see Mike admiring the view across the Scottish Highland countryside towards Nairn on the Moray Firth.  Our holiday cottage was certainly in a lovely setting.

On the first day of the holiday in Scotland we visited Nairn and after lunch in a nice wee café we heard bagpipe music and found this bandstand with a band playing in it.  The picture shows the Moray Firth and, way in the distance, is Inverness.
 

Back in the cottage now, day 2 and Mike is making breakfast.  What a clever guy, stirring the scrambled eggs and baked beans at the same time!  Pity the sausages burnt in the grill.  Er, the toast has popped up Mike.  Nice pinny though!

On our second day in Scotland we went on our Red Letter Day trip to go dolphin watching.  For the first part of of the experience we went to the WDCS Moray Firth Wildlife Centre at Spey Bay.
 

At the Wildlife Centre we saw an exhibition and video on the dolphins and other wildlife found in the area, together with a complimentary tea in the café.  Belinda is seen here looking at some murals.

The Wildlife Centre is on the Moray Firth and dolphins are often spotted out at sea.  Here Mike thinks he's spotted one!  We were given the Red Letter Day experience as a Christmas gift by Belinda's sister, Clare, and this was the main reason for going to Scotland this year for our holiday.  Ock aye the noo!
 

After driving further along the Moray Firth to Lossiemouth, we arrived for the second part of the experience - a cruise out on 'Dolphinicity' with Sailingwild and skipper Tony to go dolphin watching!  Here Belinda gets to grips with the life jacket and safety rope.

Lossiemouth is in the background - has Belinda fallen asleep?  No, it's quite bright out on the Moray Firth despite it about to rain.  The 36ft ketch Dolphinicity uses Bio Fuel and pollution filters and is one of the most environmentally friendly vessels afloat.
 

With skipper Tony from Sailingwild at the helm, we spotted some dolphins away in the distance and headed in their general direction.  The sails on Dolphinicity couldn't be used on our cruise as there wasn't enough wind that day.

Mike all ready to dolphin watch and film the dolphins we hoped to see out on the Moray Firth.  Unfortunately it started raining just as the first dolphins appeared.  Well, it is Scotland.

Wow!  We were well rewarded with dolphins coming up on both sides of Dolphinicity and ducking and diving before our very eyes!  Video clips are on our highland video page.
 

It's behind you!  An acrobatic dolphin does a leap out of the Moray Firth and back again.  Sailingwild's policy is to cruise up to an area, cut the engine and wait for dolphins to come up to the boat rather than the other way round.
Please see our tourist links page for links to the Sailingwild and other relevant websites.

Back on dry land at Lossiemouth with the Sailingwild boat Dolphinicity in the harbour.  What a fantastic dolphin watching trip!  Thanks Clare (and Sailingwild, skipper Tony and Dolphinicity).