The Flow Country is a breathtaking expanse of bog that blankets the land.
Visit the most extensive and outstanding example of blanket bog in the world, the Flow Country in the North Highlands has earned the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage Site status alongside the Serengeti, the Galápagos Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef for its globally significant natural value. It is a world first, as the Flow Country is the only site inscribed specifically for its peatlands.
Flow Country, ©RSPB Images
Wildlife and Ecosystem
Abundant with shimmering peat pools and carpets of moss, this unique environment is teeming with life perfectly adapted to its boggy, otherworldly setting.
Wander the trails and boardwalks, keep your eyes peeled for wading birds such as Golden Plover, Dunlin, and Greenshank, or catch a glimpse of a Hen Harrier soaring overhead. Skylarks and Meadow Pipits bring the air alive with song, while lizards may be seen basking near the path edges. From the Lookout Tower, swallows sometimes nest in summer, and dragonflies skim gracefully across the still waters. Beneath the surface, frogs and aquatic creatures thrive, while curious insect-eating plants like Sundew and Butterwort show how even the smallest species have found ingenious ways to survive here.
Forsinaird Flows Nature Reserve
Forsinard Flows is the gateway to the Flow Country, a spectacular rolling expanse of blanket bog, sheltered straths, and mountains located in the heart of the North Highlands. At Forsinard, the RSPB Visitor Centre offers interactive exhibits, wildlife information, and guidance on walking routes through this breathtaking landscape.
The centre is easily accessible by train, in fact, its right on the platform at Forsinard. The Visitor Centre is open from April to October and has tea, coffee and children’s activities available.
Eat Well, Stay Well, Feel at Home
Slow down and soak it all in! With an ecosystem that has been developing since the end of the last Ice Age, there’s certainly no need to hurry in the Flow Country!
This is a place that rewards time and curiosity. Stay a little longer by basing yourself in one of the welcoming towns or villages that are gateways to this wild landscape. You’ll find cosy local accommodation, delicious places to eat, fresh local produce and a vibrant local culture and a warm highland welcome to make you feel at home.
Walks and Trails
There’s no better way to experience the magic of the Flow Country than by exploring it on foot. Take time to slow down along the walking trails and discover an extraordinary world right beneath your feet. Paths wind gently past shimmering pools, climb over rolling hills, and weave through the intricate peatland landscape.
Exploring the Flow Country by bike involves navigating quiet single-track roads and there are many routes to enjoy.
As you explore, please remember to follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, to protect this fragile environment and ensuring local communities and wildlife continue to thrive.
Guided Tours
The Flow Country is a living, breathing landscape, best explored alongside those who know it best. Local guides offer everything from tailored walks and cycling tours to unforgettable wildlife experiences, revealing hidden viewpoints and stories often overlooked.
Guided tours and activities offer the chance to discover the region’s rich history, rare habitats, remarkable wildlife, and support the communities who care for and sustain this extraordinary place.
Local Crafts & Produce
A visit to the Flow Country isn’t complete without taking a little piece of it home. With no large shopping centres or chain stores, the communities here proudly embrace the shop small, love local ethos, giving visitors an authentic experience while supporting the independent makers, artists, and producers at the heart of the region.
From artisan crafts inspired by the sweeping peatlands to fresh Highland produce, including wild venison, seafood, cheeses, seasonal vegetables, berries, and award-winning whiskies, gins, and beer, the Flow Country and its surrounding towns offer a true taste of place.
Ben Loyal, UNESCO Wold Heritage Site, Flow Country
Nature & Wildlife activities in Caithness & Sutherland
The Far North Line runs from Inverness to Wick and Thurso and is truly one of Britain’s most impressive and scenic railway journeys. The railway crosses the heart of the Flow Country, offers sweeping views of wild moorland, remote lochs, and distant mountains from the comfort of your seat.
Exploring by road is equally rewarding. Exploring the Flow Country by car or bike involves navigating quiet single-track roads through its vast blanket bog landscapes.
The winding straths reveal breathtaking panoramas around every bend, with quiet single-track roads leading you deep into the landscape. These routes are also everyday lifelines for local communities, used by residents heading to work or school. You may encounter cyclists, walkers, or even livestock along the way, so taking your time and following passing-place etiquette helps keep the journey safe and enjoyable for everyone.
As you explore, please remember to follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, to protect this fragile environment and ensuring local communities and wildlife continue to thrive.
The Flow Country is a living, breathing landscape; it changes with every season, and there is always something new to see and discover.
In spring, migratory birds return and the moorland bursts into life. Summer brings long days and vibrant wildflowers. Autumn transforms the peatlands into a rich tapestry of colours, while winter offers a quieter, more atmospheric experience with dramatic skies, crisp, clear air and blankets of snow.
Recognised as the world’s first peatland UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Flow Country is a landscape of global significance. Its vast blanket bogs act as one of the planet’s most effective natural carbon stores, playing a vital role in regulating our climate. Covering an area more than twice the size of Orkney, this remarkable corner of the Highlands spans over 400,000 hectares, making it the largest blanket bog in Europe.
Shaped over millennia, the Flow Country’s habitats are both rare and fragile. Beneath the surface lie deep peat deposits that lock away carbon on an extraordinary scale. These peatlands are one of nature’s strongest allies in the fight against climate change. Although they cover only around 3% of the Earth’s surface, peatlands safeguard nearly 30% of all soil carbon on the planet.
The Flow Country is located in the North Highlands, stretching across much of Caithness and Sutherland in the North of Scotland. Extending from the Atlantic coast near Tongue in the west across to the North Sea cliffs by Wick in the east, and from Helmsdale in the south up towards Thurso in the north, it covers over 400,000 hectares of blanket bog and is the world’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site inscribed specifically for its peatlands.
Easily reached from nearby towns and villages such as Wick, Thurso, Helmsdale, Bettyhill and Tongue, the Flow Country is the largest expanse of blanket bog in Europe and one of the world’s most important peatland landscapes.
If you’d like to learn more, visit the Flow Country Partnership website, where you’ll find a wealth of information about this unique landscape, its wildlife, and its global importance.
https://theflowcountry.org.uk/