Have you heard about the seals at Donna Nook? This remote coastal spot in Lincolnshire is one of the UK’s largest grey seal colonies. Each year, mother seals arrive here to give birth to pups and rear them, before heading out into the North Sea once again. In this brief guide, we explain everything you need to know about seeing the Donna Nook seals, including the best times to visit, tips for making the most out of it, and a little background on breeding season.
What is Donna Nook?
Donna Nook is a nature reserve on the Lincolnshire coast, and is also one of nine major seal colonies in the UK, and one of only four in England. It’s a place where seals arrive once a year in huge numbers to birth and raise baby seals (known as “pups”).
Seal colonies are usually located on islands or outcrops off the mainland. For example, the Farne Islands in Northumberland, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, and the Shetlands and Orkney Islands are all major seal colonies.
Donna Nook covers around 10 kilometres of coastline, and is one of very few mainland seal colonies in the UK. Its remote setting and vast, unspoiled sand provides an ideal setting for seal breeding.
More than 2,000 seal pups are born every year at Donna Nook! And thanks to a team of volunteer wardens, you can go along and witness the magical process of their rearing.
We love visiting Donna Nook to see the seal pups when they’re in season; it’s a great day out, and there’s also a lot to do nearby. The only drawback is we can’t bring the dog along, as they’re not allowed at the viewing area.
When are the seals at Donna Nook?
The seal breeding season at Donna Nook lasts from October to December. The best time to see the seals at Donna Nook is in November.
When the seal colony arrives at the reserve, female seals will typically give birth within 48 hours. The mother and pup then spend several days bonding, which is a crucial period; if the bond is disrupted, it can cause the mother to abandon the pup, which would then sadly die.
Donna Nook does have one of the UK’s highest survival rates for seal pups, at about 90%.
The mother will feed the pup with milk for around 18 days until they are weaned. Pups are then on their own, and will spend another 2–3 weeks on the beach before heading out into the North Sea in search of food. During this time, the adult seals will mate again before also heading out into the sea.
What do the seal pups look like?
In a word, very cute! Straight after birth, seal pups have a yellowish coat, which then quickly develops into a furry white coat. After weaning from their mother, they will start to develop their adult grey coat.
Seal pups are about 14 kilograms at birth, which then triples over the 2-3 weeks of feeding. After weaning, they will actually lose weight until they head out into the sea, using up blubber they have stored from feeding.
Arriving at Donna Nook: seal viewing area
The main car park at Donna Nook is privately owned, and charges £5 for cars and £10 for coaches. There is a smaller car park (Stonebridge) with free spaces, but these are limited.
A short walk over the grassy dune from the car park gives you direct access to a walking trail that leads to the seal viewing area. It’s a lovely scenic walk alongside marshland and mudflats, where you can see other wildlife, including over 250 different species of bird. In winter, you might see peregrine falcons.
The walk along the trail to the viewing platform is about 600 metres and only takes about 10 minutes. It’s a flat path and very well maintained.
Tips for visiting Donna Nook
To make the most out of your trip to see the seals at Donna Nook, these are some useful things to know before you go:
- Make sure you wrap up warm! Not only is seal breeding season a cold time of year, but the wind chill from the sea usually makes the “feels like” temperature even lower.
- Volunteer wardens are on site at Donna Nook seven days a week, and they will be happy to answer any questions you have about the seal breeding process. Wardens are on shift between 9am and 4pm.
- Look out for the educational signs along the walking trail that tell you all about the seals’ behaviours, from the quirks of breeding season to their food habits and sex lives.
- Take every care you can to not disturb the seals. Don’t feed or pet them under any circumstances – stay within the viewing area. Human interference in the rearing process can alarm mother seals and cause them to abandon their pups.
- Bring some binoculars, and if possible, bring a camera with a zoom lens. The reserve covers a large area, and the seals are not always close to the viewing platform. If you do take a camera, don’t use a flash, as this can also disturb the seals.
- Dogs are strictly not allowed at the viewing area, as they can also cause alarm to the seals.
- Look out for the fresh vegetable stand in the car park. Lincolnshire is a farming heartland, and you can buy fresh produce here to take away.
Mablethorpe Seal Sanctuary
Seal pups that are abandoned or injured at Donna Nook are often rescued and cared for at Mablethorpe Seal Sanctuary and Wildlife Centre. The centre is open seven days a week, 10am to 5pm.
As well as running a seal hospital that looks after hundreds of seals every year, you can also meet many other rescued animals.
The seal sanctuary is about a 25-minute drive from Donna Nook.
How to get to Donna Nook from Lincoln
Donna Nook is a little over an hour’s drive away from Lincoln. You will need to drive, as it’s not possible to reach by public transport.
The quickest route is usually on the A158 via Wragby. Alternatively, you can take the A46 towards Market Rasen, and then the A631 across the Lincolnshire Wolds.
Other things to do near Donna Nook
The Lincolnshire coastline has dozens of kilometres of unspoiled beaches that are great to explore. The closest to Donna Nook is Saltfleet, one of our favourite beaches in Lincolnshire, with a vast expanse of sand that’s usually nice and quiet.
Donna Nook is also midway between the seaside resort towns of Mablethorpe and Cleethorpes, where there are lots of family-friendly activities and places to eat.
Inland from Donna Nook, the historic market town of Louth is about a 25-minute drive away. Check out our guide to the best things to do in Louth, from climbing 199 steps to the top of a church tower to a gin tour and tasting at the local distillery.
Places to stay near Donna Nook
There are not many hotels or guest houses within close proximity of Donna Nook. If you want to make a weekend or overnight stay of it, we suggest staying in Louth, which also gives you close access to the Lincolnshire Wolds.
See our guide to the best places to stay in Louth for our accommodation recommendations in the area.
Have you seen the seals at Donna Nook before? We would love to hear about your experiences in the comments below.
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