Troup Head gannets and maybe dolphins!

Troup Head is worth a mention in this guide as, in addition to the possibility of spotting the Moray Firth Dolphins it has wonderful birdlife. The cliffs are home to a colony of Gannets. Puffins and other seabirds are also regularly spotted. Set high on steep cliffs there are great views overlooking the Moray Firth. If you are looking for dolphins, Troup Head's high position means it’s best to take binoculars.
 
Some of the local Moray Firth Dolphin boat trips sail along the coast to watch the birdlife. It's actually a very small, little known RSPB nature reserve with Banff and Macduff to the west and Fraserburgh to the east. Even if there are no dolphins to see, it's well worth a visit especially if you are a birdwatcher as the gannets are a great spectacle.

Where is Troup Head?

You need to be fairly fit and agile to get to Troup Head. The car park is about 1.6 miles from the A98. Small RSPB signs guide the way. From the car park it's a walk of about 800m across farmland tracks. When you reach the nature reserve, there's a map detailing the path (which you should keep to, as there are high drops to the sea).
Take some warm clothes and food if you are going for any length of time, as it's quite isolated.

You can experience Troup Head from the comfort of Macduff Marine Aquarium as they have live cameras over the breeding season. At Macduff Marine Aquarium you can see and learn about many of the sea creatures in the Moray Firth.

Planning to go dolphin spotting on the Moray Firth? We publish a comprehensive guide to watching the Moray Firth Dolphins which includes other locations and dolphin spotting tips..
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