New York Times names Caithness and Sutherland Flow Country in list of ‘must see’ destinations
It is anything but bog standard.
The Flow Country of Caithness and Sutherland has been named as a must-visit destination this year by the prestigious New York Times.
The south-west of England and East London were the only other UK places to make the 52 strong list.
The south-west was named as the No.1 place to go in the world in 2025 - while the Flow Country was 20th and East London 35th.
The New York Times (NYT) urged people to explore the English area because it has strong links to Jane Austen and this year is the 250th anniversary of her birth.
Other spots that make the list include Greenland, Sydney, Scotland, East London and a city in America infamous for its high crime rate.
However, it is a case of literally going with the Flow for Scotland.
The Flow Country became the first peatland to earn UNESCO recognition, with the NYT adding: "It is one of the world’s biggest carbon stores, which makes it key to the fight against climate change. It is home to diverse wildlife. And it happens to be stunning.
"Yes, a bog system has joined the ranks of the Grand Canyon and the Great Barrier Reef. But it’s not just any bog.
"The first peatland to earn the recognition, it is one of the world’s biggest carbon stores, which makes it key to the fight against climate change."
The title's travel editors say the area is home to diverse wildlife where some visitors go to volunteer.
But it's also a beautiful place to walk or cycle between viewpoints as well as being home to museums and visitor centres.
They warn: "Still, get ready for ruggedness. It is far from almost anywhere and not yet set up for mass tourism."
World Heritage Site status was secured for the Flow Country in July.
It became Scotland’s first World Heritage Site inscribed for purely natural criteria, and the first in mainland UK for the global importance of its natural ecosystems
It also joins the Galapagos Islands and the Everglades as natural areas gaining World Heritage site status for their incredible ecosystems,
The Flow Country is a vast peat bog that covers much of Caithness and Sutherland in the north of Scotland and stores approximately 400 million tonnes of carbon – more than all the UK’s forests and woodlands combined. It is called blanket bog because it covers the landscape like a blanket and is a type of habitat that is globally rare, but one that is ideally suited to Scotland’s climate and maritime location.
The carbon stored by a 9,000-year accumulation of dead vegetation in the form of peat acts as a carbon sink. This sequesters (traps) and stores carbon, preventing it being released into the atmosphere, helping to prevent further emissions. It is also an internationally important place for upland breeding birds like red-throated diver, golden plover and greenshank.
The area's peat is up to 10m (33ft) deep.
The UNESCO status is for seven areas totalling 49,421 acres (20,000ha).
The peatlands are said to be "the lungs of Scotland", and home to some of the UK’s rarest wildlife, including white-tailed sea eagles; curlews; otters and pine martens.
NEW YORK TIMES' 52 PLACES TO GO IN 2025
1.Jane Austen’s England
2.Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
3. New York City Museums
4. Assam, India
5. ‘White Lotus’ Thailand
6. Greenland
7. Aix-en-Provence, France
8. Sun Valley, Idaho
9. Lumbini, Nepal
10. Sydney, Australia
11. Coimbra, Portugal
12. Angola
13. Hamburg, Germany
14. Nicaragua
15. Dolomite Mountains, Italy
16. Asheville, N.C.
17. Magdalena River, Colombia
18. Los Cabos, Mexico
19. Alishan, Taiwan
20. Flow Country, Scotland
21. Kristiansand, Norway
22. Bukhara, Uzbekistan
23. Lexington and Concord, Mass.
24. Canfranc, Spain
25. Benin City, Nigeria
26. Amsterdam
27. New Orleans
28. Raja Ampat, Indonesia
29. Delphi, Greece
30. Toyama, Japan
31. French Basque Country
32. Kilifi, Kenya
33. British Virgin Islands
34. Lofoten Islands, Norway
35. East London
36. Stockholm Archipelago, Sweden
37. Kutaisi, Georgia
38. Osaka, Japan
39. Detroit
40. Trent-Severn Waterway, Ontario
41. Montserrat, Spain
42. Western Australia
43. Washington, D.C.
44. Nangma Valley, Pakistan
45. Sicily Divide Cycle Route
46. Ollantaytambo, Peru
47. Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
48. Huangshan, China
49. Milan
50. Bulgaria
51. Rotterdam, the Netherlands
52. Montserrat, the Caribbean
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