WILDLIFE FOR KIDS
where the T Never work with children or animals, they say. But holiday with them? Jo Laidlaw explores some ways introducing small children to nature and wildlife can make a coastal holiday memorable
40 The Guide to Scotland’s Islands
WILD
he isles of the west have always been a popular destination for family escapes. While each Scottish island has its own unique identity, many of them feature the things that make most family holiday wish-lists: stunning beaches, room to run and the chance for the whole family to get back to nature. On an island break, immersing yourself in the flora and fauna can start from the moment you board the ferry. Some ferry sailings in summer come with an ORCA Wildlife Officer on deck, who can help spot and identify all sorts of sea and air creatures. But even without their expert help you’ll see plenty of birds – and you certainly won’t be the first canny grown-up to keep a cranky wee one diverted by keeping a look-out for something larger breaking the waves: a seal, dolphin, porpoise or even a whale. The adventures continue on land with the daddy of all the beasties – dinosaurs. (Extinct they may be, but they very much live on in the hearts and minds of most small children.) Skye is home to Scotland’s dinosaur coast. It’s still very much a ‘live’ site, as the recent discovery of what are thought to be new stegosaurus prints around Bothers’ Point shows. Head for Staffin or Duntulm at low tide for the best chance of standing in the footprints of these prehistoric monsters: they’re tricky to find, but that’s half the fun, and if you run out of time or energy the engaging museum at Staffin can point you in the right direction. Visit after some wild weather and you may even make a discovery of your own – but note that removing fossils or prints is strictly prohibited. Birds are the dinos’ closest living relatives and there are plenty of them to see as the islands’ skies and shores teem with ducks, divers,
