Completion of Scottish snorkelling trail marks year of success for Wildlife Trust

A network of snorkel routes showcasing Scotland’s best marine wildlife has been completed by the Scottish Wildlife Trust.

The organisation heralded the completion of the 13-strong network of routes as a major success of the year, after it finalised its trails in South Ayrshire, the Small Isles and Orkney, which will “showcase the amazing diversity of Scotland’s seas”.

It is hoped these snorkelling trails will increase the number of marine discoveries being made across the UK, including marine life such as small sea squirts, sponges, anemones, dolphins, whales and basking sharks.

The Wildlife Trusts published its annual marine review for 2024, highlighting conservation projects across the UK to reconnect land and ocean habitats and restore native oyster beds.

It also revealed that sea slugs making a home in the UK due to climate change are among the species spotted around the country’s coasts in 2024.

Sea monitoring by volunteers and conservationists this year also revealed invasive species such as Pacific oysters and showed some wildlife making a comeback, including St Piran’s hermit crabs along the south coast – which were wiped out by the Torrey Canyon oil spill of 1967.

Hushinish on the Isle of Harris is included in the snorkelling trail. | Dr Mary Gilham Archive Project/Creative Commons

The Trusts said volunteers clocked more than 46,000 hours of surveys and beach cleans in 2024, with numerous wildlife discoveries made during a national survey programme of shorelines and estuaries, Shoresearch, and volunteering days.

The UK became the first country in 2024 to map its “blue carbon” – the carbon stored in seabed mud and coastal habitats such as saltmarshes – thanks to a project by a number of charities, including the Wildlife Trusts.

The Wildlife Trusts is calling for better protection of the UK’s seas, such as banning destructive “bottom trawling” fishing practices, which damage and destroy carbon and nature-rich seabed habitats.

Monitoring of marine habitats highlights that species recover when properly protected, the trusts said, such as the discovery of a spiny lobster in Wembury Bay for the first time in “living memory” following excessive fishing in the 1960s and 1970s.

The completed snorkelling trails include:

Isle of Arran

• Clauchlands Farm
• Lamlash
• Whiting Bay
• Kildonan
• Imachar
• Lochranza

Berwickshire

• Starney Bay
• Coldingham Bay
• Milldown Bay
• Weasal Loch
• Eyemouth Beach

East Lothian

• Gullane Bents
• Yellowcraig
• The Scottish Seabird Centre
• Milsey Bay

Lochaber

• Camusdarach Beach
• Prince’s Cairn
• Ardnastang
• Lochaline
• Loch Linnhe picnic area
• Bishop’s Bay

Moray Firth

• Portknockie
• Portsoy Pool
• Black Pots
• High Shore Beach
• Tarlair Swimming Pools
• Cullykhan Bay

Argyll

• Loch Craignish
• Arduaine Jetty and Asknish Bay
• Ganavan Sands
• Wee Ganavan
• SAMS Beach
• Queenie Reef on Loch Creran
• Creagan on Loch Creagan

Isle of Harris

• Hushinish
• Seilamol Bay
• Àird Asaig
• Carragraich Bay
• Port Rhenigidale
• Loch Mhàraig

North-west Highlands

• Bay of Clachtoll
• Achmelvich Bay
• Achnahaird Bay
• Ardmair
• Causnagaul
• Gruinard Bay
• Mellon Charles
• Big Sands Carn Dearg
• An Dun

Orkney

• Ayre of Myres, Stronsay
• Elwich Bay, Shapinsay
• Bay of Firth, Finstown
• Inganess Bay
• Churchill Barriers
• The Ayre, Hoy

The Small Isles

• Gallanach Bay, Muck
• Galmisdale Bay, Eigg
• The Old Pier, Rum
• Port na Caranean, Rum
• Tarbert Bay and Coroghan Bay, Canna

South Ayrshire

• Big Isles
• Horse Rock
• Maidens West Pier Beach
• Culzean Country Park
• Dunure Castle
• Ballast Bank

Fife

• Kinghorn
• Hoch-ma-toch
• Seafield Tower
• Loncraig
• Ravenscraig

Torridon

• Redpoint
• Diabig
• Upper Loch Torridon
• Shieldaig Village
• Toscaig, Applecross

In 2024 the trust also made a time capsule to mark its 60th anniversary. The time capsule, which includes written work and photos of humpback whales, will be opened again in 2064.

Dr Jessica Jones, marine policy manager at The Scottish Wildlife Trust, said: “The whole rationale behind our snorkelling network is to encourage more people to experience the incredible diversity of life in Scotland’s seas.

“Often, it’s only when people have seen or experienced something that they will take action to protect it.

“Our snorkel network provides an easy way for people to gain that first-hand experience of the amazing marine life we have around our coasts, such as colourful anemones, crabs and sea urchins - you might even be lucky enough to spot a dolphin or an otter.”

She said each of the 13 trails, which cover over 80 sites across Scotland, has been developed with the local community and local businesses.

Dr Jones added: “The leaflets we have developed not only signpost people to beginner and advanced snorkel sites, but also provide visitors with information on local facilities and businesses in the area to encourage sustainable tourism.

“Anyone who undertakes activities like wild swimming will also recognise the health and wellbeing benefits that cold water activities provide.”