Scottish Natural Heritage Caithness and Sutherland Places to visit for wildlife and landscape Caithness and Sutherland 12 Island of Stroma Dunnet Head 23 Cape Wrath 11 Loch of Mey 10 Duncansby Head B a l 22 n A836 Stacks of Duncansby Sgribhis a Faraid Head Mey k e John Bheinn i Dunnet l B Strathy Point Scrabster 371 ay Dunnet Bay O'Groats K Balnakeil Whiten Head y l e A836 Fashven Durness 17 13 24 Strathy Sand A99 456 o side f Ben Hutig Bay Melvich B 14 Thurso Sandwood Eilean nan Ron a Castletown D Bay y u 408 Bay r l n e l A836 s A836 Sandwood s 21 18 o Loch Skerray b Torrisdale Reay A9 i Bay Auckengill r e Melvich B8 9 E u g 74 n B8 Sheigra h A' Mhoine o B8 c T Bettyhill 76 Keiss o 19 Invernaver 74 Blairmore y f S L Loch Oldshorebeg A838 A838 o A836 h Sinclair's t t Calder Halkirk Georgemas a Oldshoremore r 8 e r Junction Bay i e t a L Ben Spionnaidh Loch l g S y Tongue r S o o Kinlochbervie 773 Hope t t c K B h Wa r h Loch t B8 7 25 r Scotscalder te Noss r A897 n 74 Cranstackie Eriboll R i ve a e Shurrery Station Head v Spittal t A99 802 i h Watten R H B8 15 A882 N a 70 Loch La Loch x l fo a r Craggie l d Rhiconich v Foinaven a Ben Ben e d 908 Hope Stumanadh r Wick SWT Tarbet 27 a 6 927 527 A9 Laxford Ben l Handa e Island Bridge Loyal Loch 26 763 20 Loyal Hill of Scourie Arkle Altnabreac Loch Oliclett Bay 786 More Scourie A894 28 Syre 46 Station Loch Forsinard Achavanich A838 Stack Stemster Hill Loch Watenan A836 Ben Loch Ulbster Rangag Hill of B8 Griam Beg 16 580 Golticlay Warehouse 5 Achfary 71 Ben Loch 29 Ben Alisky a' Mhuilinn 73 Griam Mor B8 590 Loch an 348 Loch Altnaharra e r Ruathair Eddrachillis Bay More a v A99 N Point of Kylestrome 45 Lybster 30 Stoer Loch Glendhu Ben Hee h Clashnessie Kylesku 873 o c Dun Drumbeg L be Lybster Harbour Bay e ath 4 Unapool i Ben Loch Wa Latheron Nedd t te Ardvar Loch Glencoul s Klibreck Badanloch r Latheronwheel 961 e B869 31 Woods Skiag Bridge Loch a r 3 Harbour g i Kinbrace Merkland o Ber a rie h da V Morven le Dunbeath Quinag C W 4 32 a Stoer h 705 t 810 Eas a' h o c Ben er B869 7 t L A89 Chual Armine Scaraben 2 Aluinn a A83 r 704 626 Achmelvich t L Bay S a ng Creag Mhor S w 713 ell Water Loch t r Kildonan Berriedale Inchnadamph A838 a Inver Lochinver Assynt ch t Lo A9 h Inverkirkaig 33 Ben More L S Badbea Canisp o t A897 Suilven 847 Assynt c r A836 o f 1 998 h a 731 t K i l d o S h n a n Loch 37 h Awe i n T Ben Dhorain A8 i r 628 Cam Loch r y Helmsdale Ledmore Loch Veyatie Elphin a t h B r o r S t r a Knockan Gordonbush Dalreavoch 43 Loch Loch 34 Ben Brora A9 Sites referred to in the text. A83 Lairg Craggie 44 Horn Carrol 1 SNH 7 520 Rock Places providing environmental information: A839 G o 4 l s 42 Rogart p RSPB Rosehall S ie A835 t r B O y k e l A839 B86 a t h ur 35 S t r a t h F n Brora SNH SNH Shin Falls l e 36 e SWT Oykel Bridge A837 Loch t 41 Dunrobin Castle SWT 37 Buidhe Golspie Ranger Service L o Balblair Wood SNH c Invershin h Fl Littleferry Station eet Trunk road Ullapool A836 SNH Culrain 40 A road Bonar B9 SWT A835 Embo B road N Croick Bridge 38 A9 16 Minor road 8 Spinningdale Evelix Footpath L. Migdale Railway / station Ardgay Dornoch WE A949 Clashmore Forestry/woodland A836 h Heights in metres 39 irt h F D o rnoc 010 km Tain 010 miles Information used in the creation of this map came from the Royal Commision on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. A9 © Wendy Price Cartographic Services 2001 Geology Quinag / Iain Sarjeant Caithness and Sutherland Much of Sutherland is composed of contain rock formations of schists and granulites of the Moine series, named after A’Mhoine near outstanding geological interest, Tongue where they were first described. which span over 2,800 million The softer schists of this series have years and include some of the weathered to produce the level oldest surface rocks in Britain. landscape of the peatlands, from which rise the more resistant rock masses of Along the west coast, the oldest Ben Hope and Ben Klibreck. The Moine rock in the region, Lewisian gneiss, Thrust zone, which lies east of the gneiss creates a landscape of low hills and and sandstone area, crosses the region scattered lochans. Rising from this from north to south. This zone provides gneiss landscape are huge masses evidence of immense disturbance of the of Torridonian sandstone, capped by earth’s crust some 400 million years ago quartzite, which form the distinctive and has long been an area of study for mountains of Cul Mor, Suilven, Canisp geologists from all over the world. and Quinag. Coast at Latheronwheel / Iain Sarjeant The limestone of west Sutherland forms the steep slopes of Stronchrubie quarried in the past, forming an important and Knockan, as well as the limestone industry in areas of Caithness. pavements, underground water systems There are several extensive masses of and caves at Inchnadamph National granite in the region, and rocks of the Nature Reserve. Jurassic age (135-205 million years In contrast to Sutherland, Old Red ago) with abundant fossils outcrop along Sandstone rocks dominate the generally the east coast of Sutherland, north of flat landscape of Caithness. These Golspie. Coal seams in these rocks were horizontal beds of mudstone and worked at Brora between 1929 and sandstone were formed from sediments the 1970s when mining finally ceased. laid down in an ancient freshwater lake Oil-forming hydrocarbons are also which once extended from Shetland associated with rocks of Jurassic age. to Inverness and across to Norway. These rocks occur beneath the sea in There are well-preserved fossils in this area and the Beatrice Oil Field, off some of these rocks and the flagstones the east coast, is an important part of the North Sea oil industry. Canisp and Suilven from Achmelvich / Patricia & (mudstones) have been extensively Angus Macdonald Back to mapg Animals The counties of Caithness and and the introduced sika deer are more Sutherland are outstanding for commonly found in woodland. Pine marten and red squirrel, which are their birdlife during all seasons present in small numbers, also favour of the year. woodland habitat. More secretive animals which might be encountered, Many resident Highland species such especially at dawn and dusk, are wildcat as golden eagle, ptarmigan, crossbill and otter. The wildcat is a shy animal, and crested tit are found here. The two seldom glimpsed other than by the lights counties are particularly important for of cars at night. Otters can frequently their large populations of migratory be seen during the day, usually not far species that visit either during the from water, either by the sea or by one of breeding season or to overwinter. the many burns and rivers. In the burns salmon, trout, eels and sticklebacks are Curlew / Ken Crossan abundant. sea cliffs contain some of the most spectacular colonies of seabirds in Britain, with huge numbers of guillemot and kittiwake crowding the cliff ledges. At the end of the breeding season the intertidal flats in sheltered lochs and bays and offshore waters of east Sutherland become the focus of attention, when Golden eagle (c) / Niall Benvie many thousands of migratory wildfowl From April until July the expanses of and waders arrive for food and shelter open peatlands are home to greenshank, over the winter months. Particularly golden plover, dunlin and many other impressive are the late autumn species of wading bird, that raise their gatherings of wigeon and greylag geese broods on the teeming insect life of on the mudflats and salt marshes. the blanket bogs. The complex network Much of the countryside within the two of dark shallow pools and larger lochs Brown hare / Steve Austin counties is remote and little disturbed, so provides nesting areas for several visitors to the area stand a good chance Both the blue and brown hare occur, species of wildfowl, including common of seeing our native animals in their although their numbers have declined in scoter, wigeon, red-throated and natural surroundings. recent years. The brown hare is found black-throated divers. mainly on lowland agricultural ground, Red deer are numerous and widespread Away from the peatlands, impressive while the blue or mountain hare inhabits throughout the moors, while roe deer the moors and mountains. Adder / Laurie Campbell The adder is the only snake of the area, but other reptiles include the common lizard and the slow worm which, despite its appearance, is neither a worm nor a snake, but a legless lizard. Frogs, toads and palmate newts are also widespread and are particularly obvious during the spawning period in early spring. Otter (c) / Niall Benvie Back to mapg Plants Mountain avens / Lorne Gill (SNH) A major interest of these The widespread blanket peat influences northernmost districts of much of the plant life inland.