Climbing around seals: good practise for UK sea cliff climbing
The UK’s dramatic coastline isn’t just a world-class climbing venue – they’re also vital habitats for some of our most iconic marine mammals.
Over a third of the planet’s grey seals and around 30% of Europe’s harbour seals live around our shores. Yet, these populations face increasing pressures with human disturbance - often unintentional.
As climbers, hill walkers and mountaineers, we share these coastal environments with wildlife that depends on peace and space to survive. Understanding how and when seals use these areas helps ensure our adventure don’t come at their expense.
Climbing and Seals
If you’ve ever climbed in coastal areas like Gogarth, Chair Ladder or the Hebrides (or really anywhere along the UK’s sea cliffs), you might have had the magical experience of spotting a seal below - floating effortlessly in the swell.
However, many of the beaches and coves we enjoy as climbers are also essential habitats for seals throughout their annual life cycles. It’s important to understand how and when they use these areas to avoid causing harm.
Seals and the Seasons
Like many species, seals are increasingly affected by climate change and their natural seasonal rhythms—called circannual cycles—are being disrupted. This makes it harder to predict when key life events like pupping and moulting will occur.
Here’s a quick look at the typical seasonal cycle for grey seals (note that it begins in SW England and Wales first as noted in the timings here, but moving clockwise around the UK it starts a few weeks later, so if undertaking activities elsewhere please take this into account):
- Moulting Season (December-April)
Grey seals begin moulting in winter, a process that continues into early spring. During this time, seals haul out on beaches for extended periods, as moulting is energy-intensive - they can lose a significant portion of their body fat. This stage is essential for maintaining their insulation and health throughout the year. - Pregnancy and Resting Period (December-July)
In mid to late summer, pregnant females begin returning to pupping sites. Here, they conserve energy in preparation for giving birth later in the season. - Pupping Season (August- November)
During these months, you may spot tiny, white-furred pups along the beaches. These pups rely entirely on their mother’s milk, feeding multiple times a day and tripling their body weight in two to three weeks. If a mother perceives danger - such as a human presence - she may flee or even temporarily abandon her pup, putting its survival at risk. After just three weeks of feeding, the mother leaves the pup to fend for itself. Missing even one feed can be fatal, as if the pup hasn’t built enough strength or reserves by then it may not survive.
Harbour seals are found largely around Scotland and the east coast of England, with small pockets in other locations including Wales and the English Channel. They give birth to their pups uniformly around the country from late May to early August and the weaning period lasts three to four weeks.
Minimising Disturbance
It is advised that a distance of at least 100m should be maintained to prevent or reduce any disturbance. Avoiding disturbance is critical at any time of year and there are a few clear signs that you’re too close to seals that you should watch out for:
- Alert Posture: one or more animals lift their head, scanning for threats.
- Turning to the Sea: This is a prelude to a stampede into the water.
If you notice these behaviours, move away quietly and calmly. A rushed escape into the sea by the seals not only drains the seals’ precious energy but can also result in injuries - especially to pups or smaller seals caught among larger animals, worst of all pregnant moms can end up with a miscarriage if they’re forced to move quickly, or they become separated from their pup, which will starve.
Although far more wary on land it is still possible to disturb seals in the sea, which can be recognised by ‘crash diving’. This is a sudden and unexpected movement that often results in a notable splash and noise as they rapidly submerge.
BEFORE YOU CLIMB - CHECK THE RAD
Before you head climbing again, please check the restrictions on the regional access data base (RAD), but remember seals can appear anywhere on the coastline and take into account the information above before you abseil into any sea cliffs, or head across the beaches. If you notice any problems please report to the BMC Access and Conservation team.
Legal Protection
Seals are protected by a few UK laws. It’s a wildlife crime to harm or kill them; or to intentionally or recklessly disturb them in Marine Protected Areas (Sites of Special Scientific Interest and Special Areas of Conservation) where the species is a named feature:
- The Conservation of Seals Act 1970 prohibits the killing, injuring, or taking of seals.
- The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 protect the habitats seals use for rest and shelter and forbids deliberate disturbance in those areas.
Before you head climbing again, please check the restrictions on the regional access data base (RAD), but remember seals can appear anywhere on the coastline and take into account the information above before you abseil into any sea cliffs, or head across the beaches. If you notice any problems please report to the BMC Access and Conservation team.
If you’d like to read more about these fascinating mammals check out the links below:
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