A' Mhòine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids A' Mhòine |
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IUCN Category IV (Habitat/Species Management Area)
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A view across the blanket bog, towards Ben Hope
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 A' Mhòine
Location in Sutherland
A' Mhòine
Location in the United Kingdom
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| Location | Sutherland, Highland, Scotland |
| Area | 59.95 km2 (23.15 sq mi) |
| Governing body | NatureScot |
A' Mhòine is a special piece of land in the Highlands, Scotland. It's like a big finger of land sticking out into the sea. Loch Eriboll is on its west side, and the Kyle of Tongue is on its east side. A road called the A838 road goes right across it. Many local farmers, called crofters, own parts of this land through the Melness Estate.
A big part of A' Mhòine is covered in a special type of wet, spongy ground called a blanket bog. This bog is huge, covering about 5,964 hectares (that's like 14,737 football fields!). It's part of an even bigger area called the Flow Country. Because this area is so unique, it's protected as a special landscape area. It also has two Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). A' Mhòine is part of the Caithness and Sutherland Peatlands, which is a very important place for nature. You can find amazing animals here like greylag geese, golden eagles, and dunlin birds. There are also rare plants that love water, small shrubs, and mountain plants.
Exploring A' Mhòine
The Moine Path
To the south of A' Mhòine, there's a wide path called the Moine path. It stretches for about 18.5 kilometers (11.5 miles). This path connects Strathmore Hope Road to Kinloch Lodge, where it meets the road around the Kyle of Tongue.
The Moine path goes around the northern part of Ben Hope, a well-known mountain. It's a popular spot for people who enjoy walking. No one is completely sure how the path started, but many believe it was once a drovers' road. This means it was used long ago by people moving farm animals from one place to another.
A Future Spaceport?
In 2018, A' Mhòine was chosen as a possible location for the Sutherland spaceport. This would be the first spaceport in the United Kingdom! The idea is that rockets could start launching from here as early as 2023.
Some people, like the Wildland company, were worried about building a spaceport here. They pointed out that the area is protected by the Ramsar Convention. This is an international agreement from 1971 that protects important wetlands around the world. The UK agreed to this treaty in 1976.
However, the Melness Estate, which owns much of the land, supported the project. They believe that money from the spaceport could help fix the peat bog and bring benefits to the local community. In June 2020, The Highland Council gave permission for the £17 million project. This would allow up to 12 rocket launches each year. As of October 2020, a special court called the Scottish Land Court still needs to make a final decision about changing how the land is used.
Images for kids
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A view across the blanket bog, towards Ben Hope
