The Wildlife Map of the Hebrides

3. Tiumpan Head

The car park at the lighthouse (now automatic) is a good place to watch for dolphins and whales. There are resident Risso's dolphins and large numbers of white-beaked dolphins in the summer. You may catch sight of the occasional minke whale passing close inshore in the deep water surrounding this point. The cliffs on the north side have a kittiwake colony of about 100 pairs, which can be viewed in comparative safety. Tufted ducks and goldeneye are often found on nearby Loch an Tiumpan (a bird sanctuary owned by Stornoway Trust), while Loch an Dun usually has a small tern colony.