North Kessock
North Kessock near Inverness is famed for its dolphins.
North Kessock is a village on the north shore of the Beauly Firth in Ross & Cromarty, north of Inverness. This is one of the best places in Europe to see dolphins and spotting them has become something of a craze. Up to 100 bottle-nosed dolphins gather from late June to August. Both adults and calves frequently leap out of the water, 'bow riding' in front of boats and performing elegant synchronized swimming routines.
The beach at North Kessock, underneath the Kessock Bridge, is a prime dolphin-spotting location, as is above the village in a car park just off the A9 at a visitor centre and listening post, where hydrophones allow you to eavesdrop on the clicks and whistles of underwater conversations. In addition, several companies run dolphin-spotting boat trips around the Moray Firth.
