THREE locations in Scotland have been named among the best in the UK for marine wildlife.

Places in the far north and west of Scotland were named alongside other spots from across England and Wales.

Introducing the Scottish locations, the researchers said: "Many holidaygoers are looking to blend their next getaway with a sense of adventure.

"With searches for ‘dolphin watching’ up by +49% in the last 12 months, it’s obvious many are looking for the perfect location to observe and make a connection with the world’s most beloved marine animals.

The National: Three places in Scotland were named among the 10 best in the UK for marine wildlifeThree places in Scotland were named among the 10 best in the UK for marine wildlife (Image: Getty)

"In light of this, the travel experts at Planet Cruise have indexed the top locations to visit in the UK for spotting marine wildlife."

Three Scottish spots named among the best for marine wildlife

The Clyde region, Shetland and Orkney were the Scottish locations named among the best for marine wildlife in the UK.

Here are the 10 best places in the British Isles to see marine wildlife as well as the most popular animals in each spot.

1. Land’s End, Cornwall

Grey seal

2. Angel Bay, Llandudno, North Wales

Blue shark

3. Isle of Man

Blue shark 

4. Clyde, Scotland

Orca (rare)

5. Skomer Island, Pembrokeshire

Puffin

6. Shetland Islands, Scotland

Blue shark

7. Cardigan Bay, Wales

Bottlenose dolphin

8. Orkney, Scotland

Puffin

9. Labrador Bay, Devon

Grey seal

10. The Farne Islands, Northumberland 

Puffin

The National: The Clyde area, Shetland and Orkney were among the best places in Scotland for marine wildlifeThe Clyde area, Shetland and Orkney were among the best places in Scotland for marine wildlife (Image: Getty)


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The best times to see whales, dolphins and seals in Scotland and the UK

The experts have also shared the best times to see marine animals like whales, dolphins and seals in Scotland and the UK.

Dolphins – "Even though they can be sighted around the UK throughout the year, June to September are the best months to see dolphins off the coast as there tend to be more pods around the shores."

Seals – "Much like dolphins, seals can also be seen all year round in the UK. But if you want a glimpse of their adorable pups, then you’ll need to head to specific seal beaches between November to January."

Sperm Whales – "One of the more uncommon sights off the coast of Britain, sperm whales tend to grace our waters through the months of February to August during the migration of their pods."

Killer Whales – "Incredibly rare to see around most of the year, for the best chance of spotting a killer whale off the UK shore, you should head to known killer whale watching spots between October to January."