Forsinard Flows: take your time on the way to the tower

Travelling along the A897 between Helmsdale and Melvich, we suddenly encounter a railway station which seems almost improbably well presented. Hanging baskets decorate the building, a level crossing interrupts the road, and a blue telephone box stands beside the little car park. It has something of 'Tales of the Unexpected' about it, although our reasons for stopping are usually quite straightforward. There is a public lavatory, a welcome discovery in this part of the north, and the station houses the Forsinard Flows Visitor Centre. Inside, a choice of short films introduces the landscape around us, while the sightings board offers an indication of who else has been making use of it.

A short distance south of the crossing, the boardwalk leads into the peatland towards the Flows Lookout. The full Dubh-lochain circuit is about a mile, but I would allow more than its suggested 45 minutes if you want to enjoy what lies along it. Small notices encourage us to look closer, whether for buried timber, insects or something moving beside the path. Common lizards can bask along the boardwalk, while dragonflies patrol the pools. We have a convenient route through ground which would otherwise be difficult to explore, although the unrailed walkway has slopes and uneven sections, and the tower’s upper platform is reached by stairs.

I think the benches deserve as much attention as the destination. Sit quietly for a while and we have a better chance of noticing small movements we might miss while walking and talking. Once the large, cumbersome visitor stops moving, something smaller may venture back into view. Of course, at certain times of year the midges require no encouragement whatsoever, and an extended pause can turn us into lunch. Nevertheless, taking time over a small patch of this enormous landscape can be far more rewarding than walking briskly through it.

The tower’s curved, weathered larch rises conspicuously above the bog, lifting us high enough to appreciate the arrangement of pools below. For the return, we can retrace the boardwalk or follow the older flagstone route, a narrower passage through the peatland which needs care when wet. Check visitor centre and toilet opening hours before travelling, particularly in winter. In the audio blogcast, join me for a closer look along the walkway, including its tiny insect-catching plants and the surprising business of bringing a tower into the middle of a bog.

To learn more, listen to the blogcast or book one of our North Coast Explorer private tours.