Seeing dolphins rise gracefully above the waves is one of life's great pleasures and thankfully Scotland is more than blessed when it comes to places to spot these intelligent creatures.
In fact, according to the Scottish Natural Heritage site, nearly a quarter of all the world’s cetaceans - dolphins, porpoises and whales - are found in Scottish coastal waters.
And it's not just dolphins and porpoises, lucky wildlife spotters can see everything from otters and seals to rarer sights like basking sharks feeding and white-tailed eagles on the hunt.
There's a massive variety of marine creatures on Scotland's north, east and west coasts, in the past few months, we've seen stories of a pod of playful dolphins have been spotted performing a stunning aquatic display off the coast of Aberdeen and another group frolicking in the sea near Fife.
Should you want to see these incredible sights for yourself, here are some of the best places to spot dolphins around the country.
Moray Firth
Chanonry Point
This triangular inlet on the north east coast, is the perfect place to spot dolphins and porpoises in the North Sea.
For the ideal location, head to the Chanonry Point area, near Fortrose, not only does it have some spectacular views, it's also a popular place for dolphins to feed. The bottlenose dolphins here are some of the biggest found anywhere in the world.
You can enjoy a dolphin spotting boat trip from here too, and other areas like Kessock Bridge and Fort George near Inverness are great places to see these playful animals.
Expect to see: Bottlenose dolphins, harbour porpoises and minke whale.
Spey Bay
Spey Bay is home to the dedicated Scottish Dolphin Centre where you can indulge in talks, tours and some land-based dolphin watching.
The centre offers everything from whale bone exhibits, dolphin centric-wildlife cameras and even binocular hire.
It's one of the best places you'll find in the country to enjoy the delights of viewing dolphins in their natural habitats
Expect to see: Bottlenose dolphins, harbour porpoises, minke whales, ospreys, otters and seals.
Aberdeen harbour
The RSPB recommend heading along the coast to Aberdeen and in particular Torry Battery and its panoramic views of the harbour mouth and North Sea, for a great view of their natural habitat.
Expect to see: Bottlenose dolphins, seals and otters
Other areas further south on the east coast including Fife and the Tay estuary have enjoyed a recent spate of sightings as the colony in the Moray Firth begins to expand its territory southward.
Mull
Don't worry, the west coast has its own fair share of ideal places to the see some sealife, particularly if you want to do so from a boat rather than dry land.
The Isle of Mull is hugely popular for its sea safaries, with many boat trips using the island as a base and giving plenty of opportunity for people to get out and see these stunning mammals up close.
Expect to see: Risso’s dolphins, Common dolphins, sea eagles, otters, seals, Minke whales, and if you are very lucky, even basking sharks.
