Calum's Seal Trips.(Free if no seals)

Calum's Seal Trips depart from Kyle of Lochalsh, and the deal is straightforward - you pay nothing if the seals don't show. That's either refreshingly honest or a bit cheeky, depending on your mood.

You're essentially boarding a small boat to search the waters around Loch Alsh for grey seals. Most days you'll find them hauled out on rocks, sometimes dozens at once, though they're not always cooperative about staying put. The trip takes you out into the loch itself, away from the shore-bound views you get from the village. On a calm day with decent light, it's genuinely good fun - especially if you've got kids who haven't seen seals in the wild before.

The catch? It's weather dependent and timing is everything. Go when the tide's right and visibility's clear, and you'll remember it. Go on a murky afternoon with poor water conditions, and you might see precisely nothing. Most operators offer multiple sailings daily, so you can pick your moment.

It works brilliantly as a half-day stop if you're based at Reraig Caravan & Camping Skye, just four miles away. Pair it with a walk round Plockton village or a drive up to the viewpoints around Kintail, and you've got a proper day sorted. The seals are free - sort of - but the experience itself is worth the gamble.