The Flows National Nature Reserve

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Overview

The wild peatlands of The Flows NNR in Caithness contain perhaps the finest and most extensive blanket bog to be found anywhere in the world, and represent some of the last remaining unspoilt areas in Britain. The Flows is a breathtaking expanse of peat bog blanketing the land, where rafts of spongy sphagnum moss float among pools of dark peaty water, making it a perfect home for a myriad of insects and the birds that feed on them. Listen out for the piping calls of greenshank or the mournful, spine-chilling wails of the red-throated diver. In summer, you may spot small but beautiful plants like sundew and sphagnum, which are wonderfully adapted to such difficult living conditions. The four-mile self-guided Forsinain Trail skirts around the edge of the bog, with brief glimpses of the vast wildness of the rolling open bog beyond. From here you can see the controversial swathes of conifers, planted in the 1980s.

Location

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About the area

Apart from the Orkneys and the Shetlands, Highland is Scotland’s northernmost county. Probably its most famous feature is the mysterious and evocative Loch Ness, allegedly home to an ancient monster that has embedded itself in the world’s modern mythology, and the region’s tourist industry.

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The Flows National Nature Reserve

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The Flows National Nature Reserve

Recommended by

Overview

The wild peatlands of The Flows NNR in Caithness contain perhaps the finest and most extensive blanket bog to be found anywhere in the world, and represent some of the last remaining unspoilt areas in Britain. The Flows is a breathtaking expanse of peat bog blanketing the land, where rafts of spongy sphagnum moss float among pools of dark peaty water, making it a perfect home for a myriad of insects and the birds that feed on them. Listen out for the piping calls of greenshank or the mournful, spine-chilling wails of the red-throated diver. In summer, you may spot small but beautiful plants like sundew and sphagnum, which are wonderfully adapted to such difficult living conditions. The four-mile self-guided Forsinain Trail skirts around the edge of the bog, with brief glimpses of the vast wildness of the rolling open bog beyond. From here you can see the controversial swathes of conifers, planted in the 1980s.

Location

Kinbrace

About the area

Area image

Apart from the Orkneys and the Shetlands, Highland is Scotland’s northernmost county. Probably its most famous feature is the mysterious and evocative Loch Ness, allegedly home to an ancient monster that has embedded itself in the world’s modern mythology, and the region’s tourist industry.

Explore Highland

Kinbrace Highland Things To Do in Highland