Where To Find Britains Best Wildlife

With a diverse mix of woodland, heathland, mountains and expansive coastline, the U.K. is home to a rich abundance of wildlife. From awe-inspiring birds of prey and endearing puffins to beautiful red squirrels and shy badgers, they’re all right here. Read on to find some of the best places in Britain to spot these amazing creatures.

1. Blakeney Point, Norfolk

Part of Blakeney National Nature Reserve in Norfolk, Blakeney Point is recognised internationally for its breeding birds and seal colony, which is the largest in England with more than 2,000 grey seal pups born annually. The area is fenced off during the breeding season (late October until late January), so schedule an organised boat trip for the best and least intrusive way to view the seals and their pups.

Blakeney Point, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom

Blakeney Point Seals | © Dun.can/Flickr

2. Cairngorms National Park, Scotland

Forest, Park

In the Eastern Highlands of Scotland, you’ll find Cairngorms National Park, home to some the most breath-taking scenery and outstanding wildlife. A great number of rare and endangered species are found in the mountains, forest, fields and moorlands of the National Park, including the elusive Scottish wildcat, the capercaillie, reindeer, red squirrels, pine martens, badgers, deer, ospreys and golden eagles. Explore on foot, or join a guided tour.

Cairngorms National Park, 14 The Square, Grantown on Spey, Scotland, +44 01479 873 535

Scottish Wildcat | © Old Rollei/Flickr

New Forest, Hampshire

One of the biggest draws to picturesque New Forest is the 3,000 wild ponies that roam freely through the unspoilt heathland and ancient woodland. It’s also the place to spot all six species of deer found in the U.K., as well as adders, dragonflies, butterflies and heathland birds.

The Isle of Mull, Scotland

After becoming extinct in the early 20th century, the white-tailed sea eagle, Britain’s largest bird of prey, has been reintroduced on the Isle of Mull with great success! With a dramatic wing span of nearly 2.5 metres, they’re not hard to spot whether they’re fishing in the sea or swooping through one of Mull’s beautiful forests. This Scottish island in the Inner Hebrides is also a great place to spot golden eagles, buzzards, whales, dolphins and porpoises.

3. Kielder Forest, Northumberland

Forest, Park

Arguably the most beloved—and possibly the cutest—of all British wildlife, the native red squirrel isn’t always the easiest to spot. With only 140,000 left in the U.K., this gorgeous creature is seriously outnumbered by the American grey squirrel, with an estimated 2.5 million currently living in Britain. For your best chance of finding the red squirrel, head to Kielder Water & Forest Park in Northumberland. The woodland is also home to badgers, pipistrelle bats, ospreys and more.

Kielder Water & Forest Park, Tyne House, Millway, Horsley, Northumberland, Scotland, +44 0845 155 0236

Red Squirrel | © herdiephoto/Flickr

4. Falmouth, Cornwall

With a nearly 360-degree view of the River Fal and Falmouth Bay, Pendennis Point in Cornwall offers not only spectacular sea views but also a great chance of spotting a variety of marine life. You’ll find common and bottlenose dolphins that come here in search of plankton year-round, so keep your eyes on the water. Grey seals, sea birds and even basking sharks can be found here, too.

Pendennis Point, Falmouth, Corwall, United Kingdom

Falmouth Bay | © Tim Green/Flickr

5. Gilfach Nature Reserve, Wales

With otter numbers on the up in the U.K., there’s a better chance than ever of getting a glimpse at these elusive characters, and Gilfach Nature Reserve is a great place to spot them. However, beware that otters are naturally shy, so there are no guarantees you’ll see one. For your best chance, be sure to visit when the otters come to the waterfalls to chase leaping salmon—from October through December, in the early morning or during sunset.

Gilfach Nature Reserve, Harmon, Rhayader, Powys, Wales, United Kingdom

Otter | © Stevebidmead/Pixabay

Causeway Coast, Northern Ireland

This stretch of coastline in Northern Ireland is a hotspot for wildlife. Puffins, peregrine falcons and mountain hares have all been sighted on the cliffs, with Atlantic grey seals, porpoises and majestic basking sharks found in the waters below. Rathlin Island, just off the coast, is a haven for seabirds, with thousands of auks, guillemot and razorbills heading to the cliffs and sea stacks to breed.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.