The route follows forest tracks and paths with very little height gain. One track is muddy in places but this can be avoided if going in an anticlockwise direction and coming back the same way but missing out in some of the more interesting bits of the bog woodland
The Bog Woodland of Monadh Mor
This cache takes you on a journey around one of the largest areas of existing bog woodland in the UK. Monadh Mor consists of ridges and hollows left behind by glaciation from the last ice age. Since then lower plants such as Sphagnum mosses and other plants have helped create conditions for the formation of peat and creation of boggy areas in the hollows along with Scot's pine and birch trees growing on the drier ridges. During drier climatic periods trees managed to get established on the wetter areas including the quaking bog. On return to the wetter climatic conditions these trees have been knocked back and have either died or become stunted with poor growth conditions in the waterlogged ground. Some of the stunted pine trees you see from the paths are possibly as old as 350 years.
Other flora and fauna has taken advantage of the conditions such as crested tits, crossbills and ospreys. There about 10 species of dragonfly and damselfly of the Odonata group which breed in the abundant pools and other wet areas of the Monadh Mor including a bogland specialist the white faced darter. Throughout the summer butterworts, sundews, orchids and other plants are seen flourishing along the ditches with marsh cinquefoil, bogbean, cotton grasses and various sedges growing in or around the deeper pools. Summer time is probably the best time to visit but a winter stroll is still a pleasant experience and if wintery and clear skies you can get very good views of Ben Wyvis from one of the Interpretation panels on the way round.
Note of caution!
It is IMPORTANT to keep to the paths SINCE IT IS EASY TO GET LOST AND BREAK THROUGH THE SURFACE OF THE QUAKING BOG.
What is it? Quaking bog is where vegetation gradually grows out over the water with the roots binding together and establishing a thick floating layer over deep pools of water. In some cases totally covering over small lochans & only showing an area of wet loving plants and cotton grass blowing in the breeze but hiding deep black pools of water underneath. If you happen to find yourself walking over ground that is undulating you are on Quaking Bog and at risk of going through!
There is a memorial to some children who died in the 1950's while fishing at one of the lochans so PLEASE be cautious.