Forsinard Flows – Bog Pools and Birds of the Flow Country
About a mile on foot.
The Flow Country is a great rolling sweep of blanket bog, pools and far-off hills in the very north of Scotland, and RSPB Forsinard Flows looks after a huge stretch of it.
A mile of boardwalk leads from the old station at Forsinard out among the bog pools to the Flows Lookout, a timber tower looking out over the bog. In spring and summer golden plover, dunlin and greenshank nest out on the bog.
- Time
- About an hour and a half: the Dubh Lochain Trail (a mile, about 45 minutes), the Flows Lookout and the visitor centre.
- The path
- The Dubh Lochain Trail's boardwalk gives reasonably easy access, but it has no rim or rail, and undulates with a side camber on the way to the Lookout; one of the Lookout's two platforms is up a shallow ramp, the other up two flights of stairs. The picnic benches are on uneven grass up a gravel slope.
- Where to start
- Free: the tarmac car park shared with Forsinard station (5 spaces and 2 Blue Badge spaces) and 12 more on gravel beside it, two of them for campervans; no overnight parking.
- Set off
- In daylight; the visitor centre from 9am, April to October.
- When to go
- Spring and summer, for the nesting birds. The reserve and trails are open at all hours; the visitor centre every day 9am to 5pm from April to October, weekdays 10am to 2pm from November to March.
- Dogs
- On a short lead or under close control, above all from April to July while birds nest on the ground; water for dogs at the visitor centre (only assistance dogs inside).
- Children
- An easy mile on the boardwalk; hold small children's hands where it has no rail.
- Toilets
- In the visitor centre, with an accessible toilet and baby changing, open when the centre is.
- Before you set out
- This idea is for the nesting birds of spring and summer. The trails are open ground with no staff: go in daylight. The visitor centre is not routinely staffed.
The walk
RSPB Forsinard Flows starts at the old railway station at Forsinard, on the A897 in Strath Halladale, postcode KW13 6YT. Park free in the small car park the reserve shares with the station, with two Blue Badge spaces and more room on gravel beside it. The reserve and its trails are free and open at all hours.
The visitor centre and toilets are in the station building beside the level crossing, open every day 9am to 5pm from April to October, and only on weekdays, 10am to 2pm, from November to March. The Dubh Lochain Trail is a mile of boardwalk, about 45 minutes, out to the Flows Lookout: one platform is up a gentle ramp, the other up two flights of stairs. The boardwalk has no rail, so take care with a pushchair or wheelchair.
In spring and summer look and listen for golden plover, dunlin, greenshank, skylarks and hen harriers, with lizards on the boardwalk's edge and dragonflies over the pools; nothing is promised. Keep to the trail, and keep dogs on a short lead, above all from April to July while birds nest on the ground. There's no café, but there are two picnic benches.
If it rains
The trail is open to the weather all the way, with the timber Flows Lookout the only shelter on it. On a wet day walk out to the tower and back in waterproofs and good boots.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
The nearest of ours is Lundies House, 21 miles away.
Then House of the Northern Gate, 27 miles away. Sleeps 18.
