CITATION DUNNET LINKS SITE OF SPECIAL SCIENTIFIC INTEREST () Site code: 572

NATIONAL GRID REFERENCE: ND 220690

OS 1:50,000 SHEET NO: Landranger Series 12 1:25,000 SHEET NO: Explorer Series 451

AREA: 792.66 hectares

NOTIFIED NATURAL FEATURES Geological: Geomorphology: Coastal geomorphology of Biological: Coastlands: Sand dunes

DESCRIPTION Dunnet Links Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) is located at Dunnet Bay, 8km east of , Caithness. The SSSI is designated for its nationally important sand dunes and associated links grassland. The sand dunes on this site are the largest and most active dune system in Caithness.

Coastal geomorphology of Scotland The site includes a large beach, and a dune and links system which extends over 3km inland. The importance of Dunnet Bay’s geomorphology lies in the spectacular scale of its dune and machair landforms. The dunes form a high, sharp, single-crested ridge with gently-sloping, extensive dune pasture and machair on the landward side. The size and range of activity in the various dune blowouts, and the relatively frequent occurrence of direct wave attack on the main dune ridge make this a key site for studying the processes that shape dune systems.

Sand dunes (vegetation) The plant communities found on this site include the vegetation that grows on the strandline, in the dunes and in the grassland, heath and dune slack habitats on the links. Typical species that grow on the strandline include sea rocket Cakile maritima and sea sandwort Honckenya peploides. The dunes are dominated by marram grass Ammophila arenaria. Blown shell- sand has created one of the largest areas of links grassland on mainland Scotland with an outstanding diversity of plant species. Short, fine grasses such as red fescue Festuca rubra and herbs such as thyme Thymus polytrichus, bird’s-foot-trefoil Lotus corniculatus and white clover Trifolium repens dominate this area. The grassland also includes more unusual plants such as field gentian Gentianella campestris and frog orchid Coeloglossum viride as well as the nationally scarce hair sedge Carex capillaris and Scottish primrose Primula scotica. There are small areas of dune heath where sand sedge Carex arenaria grows alongside heather Calluna vulgaris and crowberry Empetrum nigrum. Creeping willow Salix repens, silverweed Potentilla anserina and the nationally scarce Baltic rush Juncus balticus grow in the dune slacks.

NOTIFICATION HISTORY First notified under the 1949 Act: 1964 Re-notified in under the 1949 Act with a 565.9ha increase in area: 1979 Re-notified in under the 1981 Act with a 5.9ha increase in area: 23 August 1985 Notification reviewed under the 2004 Act: 10 February 2011

REMARKS Measured area of site corrected (from 775.8 ha)