Forget the Caribbean! Spot lobsters, crabs and jellyfish in SCOTLAND as its first ever snorkelling trail is launched

By LUCY MORRIS FOR MAILONLINE

Give the kilts and castles a miss and explore the Highlands with a snorkel
The Scottish Wildlife Trust unveils new self-led underwater marine-life trail
Brave ice cold water to see dogfish, barrel jellyfish, crabs and sea urchins

Naturally you’d associate snorkelling with faraway sandy beaches and exotic marine life, but the Highlands are trying to challenge that.
The Scottish Wildlife Trust has unveiled its first snorkel trail around the country’s north west coast.
Don’t let the ice cold waters put you off as hidden below the tide line is a fascinating underwater world filled with dogfish, barrel jellyfish and sea urchins.
The trust has already named nine prime locations for beginner and advanced snorkellers.
With a wet-suit on divers are advised to explore the beaches and bays on the coast of Wester Ross and Sutherland.

The trail is self-led and offers a varied view of Scotland’s water world
Highlights include Tanera Mor in the Summer Isles, Camusnagaul and Achmelvich Bay, where you can spot lobsters, crabs, rare maerl, kelp beds, sea-grass and a sunken naval base.
Lizzie Bird, of the British Sub Aqua Club, said: ‘Lots of people might think it’s too cold to snorkel in Scotland but the colours and life under the surface in places like the north west coast are up there with the coral reefs you can find abroad.’
Noel Hawkins, Living Seas communities officer, added: ‘The coast of Wester Ross and Sutherland features some fantastic sheltered headlands and beaches that are great places for snorkelling.’
Hawkins hopes to establish a training programme for local people to become qualified snorkel instructors and a snorkel club at the local leisure centre to entice the younger members of the community to explore their local marine environment.
He said: ‘Scotland needs healthy living seas that can adapt to climate change.
‘The snorkel trail will encourage more people to explore the fragile habitats below the waves and the marine life they support, whilst also helping to raise awareness of the need to protect them.’

IMAGES:
The Scottish Wildlife Trust have unveiled their first ever snorkelling trail around the coast of the Highlands, it features the coast of Sutherland
There are nine locations named by the Scottish Wildlife Trust as the best spots in the Highlands to go snorkelling
Beginner and experienced snorkellers can follow the trail that takes them around the underwater world of Wester Ross
Snorkellers can spot pot lobsters, crabs, rare maerl, kelp beds, sea-grass and a sunken naval base in the nine hotspots named
The self-led underwater route highlights the richly-populated, living seas around the north west Scottish coast

For more on this story go to: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-3687998/Forget-Caribbean-Spot-lobsters-colourful-corals-jellyfish-SCOTLAND-snorkelling-trail-launched.html#ixzz4EO5BVQ4g