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36 acres, Scotscalder, Caithness, Highlands and Islands
For Sale - Fixed Price £215,000

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Travelling through the flow country to this part of Scotland is a joy, with large landscapes, big skies and stunning sunsets: the north always seems to operate on a slower timescale, reminiscent of island communities. There is a real opportunity here to acquire what was once a working croft and turn it into something new and exciting. There is good access off the public road with a grassy track leading up to a small stand of mature sycamore where the ruins of the old croft sit.. A nearby woodland with an old croft recently gained planning permission for a new build house.

A band of deciduous planting hugs the front of the greater conifers, giving a welcome contrast to the monoculture of pine, reaching maturity later than the coniferous softwood. Towards the far end of the plantation the growth of the timber is not quite as strong, indicative perhaps of a change in soil structure. This then leads to a large area of moss that is the real hidden gem in terms of ecology. This outstanding habitat is a haven for a number of ground nesting birds as well as a vast number of insects. This is part of what is known as the flow country and is the largest blanket bog in Europe. It is an area of deep peat, dotted with bog pools and a very important habitat for wildlife, as well as climate change mitigation. As peat is largely made up of the remains of plants, which are themselves made up of carbon, it locks up large stores of carbon for thousands of years. This carbon would otherwise be released to the atmosphere and contribute to global warming. The Flow Country is currently being considered as a potential World Heritage Site on account of its unparalleled blanket bog habitat.

The landscape here has remained unaltered for thousands of years with very little pollution; waterways are clean and thriving, important for wild salmon that are sensitive to pollution. The rivers that feed into coastal areas have proven to improve the quality of water attracting more wildlife to feed there. These woods are well worth visiting especially if a sizeable plot is being sought for a house.