Wildlife holiday Nov-Jan in the UK or Europe

[southlonder]

Originally Posted by RobSutton

Islay - tens of thousands of Geese, Otters, Eagles and many other birds (I go every October/November and regularly clock up 100 species) and there are eight or so distilleries for when the weather's bad or you need a warming dram at the end of the day.

Could you go the end of November/December?
Is it expensive?

[poschiavanus]

Originally Posted by southlonder

Could you go the end of November/December?
Is it expensive?

Travel might be the most expensive bit: you need a car. If you take the car on the ferry its around £70 return (Islay Ferry and Travel. Flights - Car hire Islay Bus and Taxi. Calmac Timetables) + the passenger fare. There are usually a decent number of birds to be seen on the ferry trip (Red Breasted Merganser around Kennacraig, Great Northerns in the Sound of Islay, and if you go into Port Askaig, good views of Razorbills and other auks). Plus there's the round trip from (presumably) London to Kennacraig. An alternative is to fly to Glasgow, get the bus, and hire a car on Islay, or even get a flight to Islay from Glasgow. The latter is perhaps a bit risky, if there's a sea mist the flight can be delayed by days (I've landed on Islay once, when they diverted the Campbeltown flight so that some folk could get home after 3 days hanging around Glasgow airport).

There should be a reasonable range of accommodation, at all prices, although how much will be open at that time of year I don't know. Probably Bowmore and Port Ellen are most suitable in case you want to do something different in the evening: for instance there's a swimming pool in Bowmore. Bowmore is most central too.

The important thing is to remember that daylight hours are short and to make the most of them! Also plan for bouts of poor weather: there's plenty which can be done from a car, and the hide at Loch Gruinart can be a haven in these conditions. Days can be extended by being around Loch Indaal at dusk and after to watch the geese coming to roost.

I got 100 species of birds the first time I went in a day and a half (two nights), and a similar number for a longer spell where I did less driving and more walking.

HTH,

Posch

[Paul mabbott]

The original request was for 'wildlife' not just birds! So I'd go south - anywhere cheap on the Mediterranean!

[Brocakat]

Originally Posted by southlonder

Does anyone where have any ideas? I would like to see the north of Scandavia but I don't know if there would be much wildlife.

BTW I am married with a very active 2 year old son.

I suggest you hop around the Channel Islands - Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney & Sark. Do not forget Sark, even thought it's going to be the hardest to get to/back from.

No messing about with passports, (But enough Franglaise to keep it interesting ), - masses of Birdlife include the odd exotic windblown creature, some WW11 stuff including an underground hospital, few cars, few(er) tourists, + nip over to the mainland for a bit of a booze-cruise, plenty of boats & high tides, pleasant climate ( a more important factor in relation to children as opposed to adults ) --- and it ain't THAT far from South London is it?