Visit Baby Seal Pups at Donna Nook in December 2024

Grey seals will return in November and December in very large numbers to the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve on the east coast in Lincolnshire and give birth to their pups right next to the sand dunes.

These wild Grey seals return to Donna Nook every year during November and December to give birth to their baby pups.

During the 2023 birthing season, there was 2,207 seal pups born at Donna Nook in Lincolnshire.

On Tuesday 31st December 2024, the seal count recorded that there were just 36 pups, 3 cows and 4 bulls visible from the viewing area. The total pup count for the 2024 season is 1649 new born seal pups.  The toilets will be open until 3 January 2025..  The numbers on the beach are have now reduced drastically and will continue to go down as the seals all head back out to sea over the next few days.

However, NOW IS THE TIME to arrange a visit to Donna Nook for next year during November and December 2025 and to book your stay here at Greetham Retreat for a short break so you can visit this special annual event at Donna Nook.  

We have five self-catering holiday cottages here at Greetham Retreat as well as a five hardstanding pitches on our Caravan and Motorhome Club (formally the Caravan Club) members only, CL touring site which still have some availability during November and December 2025…

• To find our more about our sellection of self-catering holiday properties → → just click HERE.
• To view our exclusive Touring Caravan and Motorhome (CAMC) CL Site →→ just click HERE…

Further Information about the Seals at Donna Nook.

The seals at Donna Nook are very close to the public viewing areas, that sometimes you feel that you can almost touch them (however, this is not recommended, and they are on the other side of a safety fence). PLEASE DO NOT FOR GET TO TAKE YOUR CAMERA AS SOME GREAT PHOTOS ARE GUARANTEED!

 

You can find lots of useful information on visiting Donna Nook including parking charges, weekly pup count and Visitor Guidelines on the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust website:  https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/top-reserves/donna-nook

If you plan to visit Donna Nook in 2024 do not delay and plan your midweek or weekend short break now, you can stay with us at Greetham Retreat Holiday Cottages which is one of Lincolnshire’s premier award-winning self-catering establishments.  We have several holiday cottages available to suit your needs and accept bookings of 3 or more nights all year round.

View our pet friendly holiday cottages in Lincolnshire → by clicking here

For those with a Touring Caravan or Motorhome, we can offer five level hard-standing all-weather pitches with 16amp electric hook ups, shower and WC, on our Exclusive Caravan and Motorhome Club CL site which is fully equipped and is open all year round.

View our Touring Caravan Site in Lincolnshire → by clicking here

Greetham Retreat is within an easy travelling distance of Donna Nook and is also near to the Horncastle, Louth, Woodhall Spa and the historic city of Lincoln which is only a 30 minutes’ drive away. Greetham Retreat provides an ideal base, as it is centrally located within Lincolnshire making it ideal for visiting may attractions throughout the county as well as Donna Nook.

Donna Nook is a fantastic place to visit when staying at Greetham Retreat and you will be able to get up really very close and personal with this magnificent colony of grey seals with their lovely pups throughout November and December. The pups (baby seals) are so very photogenic too, so please do not forget to bring your camera!

It is very busy when visiting at weekends, if you are able, we recommend that you visit at during midweek to see this spectacle with many hundreds of pups born at Donna Nook each year. Britain’s population of grey seals is of international conservation importance.

Please remember when you are visiting Donna Nook to follow the Visitor Guidelines: – Stay within the viewing area behind the fence – No dogs (leave them in your car on the car parks) – Don’t get too close to the seals – Never feed or pet the seals – No unaccompanied children – Strictly observe all red flag and other bombing range warnings – Please be considerate when visiting: park only in designated areas – If possible, visit during the week. At weekends, the narrow lanes and car park get very congested

If you choose to visit Donna Nook during the first full weekend in December, you could also visit the famous Lincoln Christmas Market which takes place over the 1st weekend in December each year. Greetham Retreat is about halfway between Donna Nook and the City of Lincoln.

All about Donna Nook Breeding Seal Colony Donna Nook is home to over 3000 Grey seals at certain times of the year. For most of the year, the grey seals at the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trusts’ Donna Nook National Nature Reserve are at sea or hauled out on distant sandbanks.

 

Every November and December, these seals give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, a wildlife spectacle which attracts thousands of visitors from all over the UK.

Stay at Greetham Retreat self-catering holiday cottages in the Lincolnshire & visit Donna Nook

Meeting lots of seals at Donna Nook is guaranteed, as this is effectively a seal maternity hospital.

Large bull seals arrive at Donna Nook in early November, coming ashore to set up territories and wait for the females to arrive. Cow seals arrive shortly after and are herded into harems by the bulls, where they give birth to a single creamy-coloured pup. These young pups are suckled for three weeks during which time their weight will almost triple, and they will gradually lose their pale coat.

Once pups are weaned, the females become available for mating giving rise to much competition among the bulls. Each bull will try to hold his harem against all the challengers. Fights can be vicious and bloody. The action peaks about mid-December. By the end of January, it’s all over and the seals are back out at sea.

Donna Nook is only a short drive (about 35 minutes) from Greetham Retreat luxury self-catering holiday cottages. Our accommodation is modern, stylish and uncluttered, they can accommodate between 1 to 4 people in each of our cottages.

There is so much else to see and do in the area or just take the opportunity to relax and chill at our wonderful countryside retreat.

Please view your preferred holiday cottage on this website and just check the Availability Calendar for your chosen cottage and input the dates you choose arrival and departure dates, then just complete the on-line booking form to secure your accommodation here at Greetham Retreat Holiday Cottages in Lincolnshire.