Episode 49 - Flow Country Traverse with Dan Ashwood

Dan Ashwood (Dash) talks me through the Flow Country Traverse which he pioneered in April 2025. This 100km route started at Berriedale on the Caithness coast and headed west into the Flow Country: one of the largest blanket bog systems in the world.

Dan has become a bog expert having worked in peatland restoration projects with Caledonian Climate for the past several years. Spending more time in peatland led him to appreciate these biodiverse areas both for their ecological importance in terms of carbon sinks, and also their abundant plant and animal life.

Traversing the Scaraben group he then moved into much less visited terrain with the Knockfin Heights area of complex peatland. Finding it drier than expected, he continued to the Ben Griams, and then Garvault Hotel for a welcome cuppa.

The route continued over Beinn a' Mhadaidh to Syre Lodge, Beinn Stumanadh, and Loch na Moine, before the final section on Ben Loyal and Ben Hope.

Helped at road crossings and at the finish by his friend Chris Wilkinson, the traverse took in bogland in a wide variety of conditions, ranging from degraded to thriving. In 2024 the Flow Country was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Dan chose to finish the traverse with Ben Hope partly as a symbolism of the hope he feels for the future of this peatland area, its abundant wildlife, wide open wilderness, and importance in carbon capture.

See Dan’s full write up here: ⁠https://caledonianclimate.com/news/2025/04/16/running-100km-across-the-flow-country/⁠

If you want to buy me a cuppa to help support the podcast, thank you and please do at: ⁠https://ko-fi.com/finlaywild