ACTIVE OUTDOORS: Cycling through Scotland’s newest World Heritage Site – experience the Flow Country from the saddle

The news that the Flow Country has been inscribed onto Unesco’s list of World Heritage sites took my mind back to this bike ride I had done a couple of years ago.

It takes in what it effectively a loop of one of the seven distinct areas recognised in the designation, A’Mhoine-Hope-Loyal, following what are mainly quiet roads in the far north.

It has been quite a journey for this vast expanse of peat bog, now “considered the most outstanding example of an actively accumulating blanket bog landscape” in the world, according to Unesco.

Its description continues: “This peatland ecosystem, which has been accumulating for the past 9000 years, provides a diversity of habitats home to a distinct combination of bird species and displays a remarkable diversity of features not found anywhere else on Earth.

“Peatlands play an important role in storing carbon and the property’s ongoing peat-forming ecological processes continue to sequester carbon on a very large scale, representing a significant research and educational resource.”

There are expected to be many benefits to be had from the area’s new-found global significance, from education and research to tourism and jobs.

There is plenty of interest in this one small part of the 4000 square kilometres of newly demarcated World Heritage Site, such as the Moine House – a historic resting place on the ancient road across the bog – as well as the spaceport that is under construction not much further along that same road.

Then there are the brochs and the mountains, the lochs and the wildlife. Those of us who have been singing the area’s praises for many years are not surprised by the importance of the Flow Country. Now there’s a chance to preserve and enhance this unique landscape, while at the same time providing employment opportunities and more for local communities.

My ride started at the Altnaharra Hotel, from where I headed north to reach the crossroads. A left turn here took me onto the beautifully quiet road that leads 21 miles to the next junction at Hope.

Cycling through Strathmore can be joyful or an endurance challenge – depending largely on which way the wind is blowing! It wasn’t doing me any favours, as I recall, on this day but I battled on past the remains of once thriving communities – now long cleared from this land – and then to the remains of the broch at Dun Dornaigil.

Related articles:

• ACTIVE OUTDOORS: Hope leads the way on ride north

• ACTIVE OUTDOORS: Walk up Dunbeath Strath adds to wonder of the past

• Sign up to the Active Outdoors newsletter

Sitting immediately beside the single-track road, this Bronze Age ruin is fascinating although little is known of its specific history, as it has not been fully excavated.

Further north you pass the imposing cliffs of Ben Hope and the start of the path that leads hill walkers up the straightforward if steep route to the summit of the most northerly Munro.

The last stretch of this long road leads you past Loch Hope to a junction with the A838 north coast road – part of the NC500 and therefore busier than the rest of this route. It also starts with a kick, as you climb a significant gradient up onto A’Mhoine – which translates as The Moss.

It’s some achievement that there is even a road here to start with; the first few attempts to build one didn’t end too well. Eventually the old road – large stretches of which are still navigable on foot and even bike – was built in 1830 on the orders of the Duke of Sutherland.

A visit to the Moine House – or what’s left of it – is worth it to learn more about the history of this route as well as take in the panoramic view. The house was a family home but also a place of refuge for travellers making their way across the vast tracts of moss and bog on this road, built on rolls of heather to stop it sinking.

How times have changed. Now cars speed across A’Mhoine and soon satellites will be sent into orbit from Sutherland Spaceport, being built to the north of the road here.

The descent to the Kyle of Tongue can come as a bit of a relief, and you are spoiled with the view to Ben Loyal as you descend to the causeway.

I find the easiest way to deal with the hills back up to the village of Tongue and beyond on the far side is to stick to the main road – the distance is further than taking any of the shortcuts but all of them are too steep to be of much benefit!

Once beyond the village, take the right turn onto the A836, signed back to Altnaharra on a single-track road that initially keeps climbing a little more to reach a viewpoint over Loch Craggie and Loch Loyal.

This is one of my favourite roads to cycle on, in either direction, and if you can get the wind in your favour it will live long in the memory for all the right reasons. The views are out of this world as the tarmac meanders close to the water’s edge in places, leading you to a final climb through some forestry plantations before a downhill back into Altnaharra.

The fact this area has been recognised internationally for its landscape should not come as a big surprise. It’s an endless source of inspiration, and a great place to explore by bike, as well as offering plenty of adventurous walking and other activities.

Route details

Flow Country road ride

Distance 45 miles / 72km

Terrain Single-track roads and busier main road on NC500

Start/finish Altnaharra

Map OS Landranger 16, 9 & 10

Celebrating the Flow Country’s new status as a World Heritage Site with a ride around the far north

Click here to see the route in OS Maps

Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.