With stunning views across Easter Ross to Ben Wyvis, Tollie Red Kites visitor centre provides a magnificent opportunity to watch Scotland’s most graceful bird of prey, especially during feeding time. Red kites were re-introduced to the north of Scotland in the early 1990s, after an absence of more than 100 years. Volunteers feed the birds every afternoon from a specially-converted farm building and a viewing screen outside provides great opportunities for taking photographs. Ospreys, which breed nearby, often fly over during the summer. The colder months are the busiest for red kites at the feeding centre. Tollie Red Kites is a partnership between RSPB Scotland and the Brahan Estate.

A constant brooding presence on the skyline, the mountain of Ben Wyvis – at the gateway to the Wester Ross Biosphere – dominates the local area and is affectionately called ‘The Ben’. Stand on the summit and you’ll feel like you’re on the roof of the world, with spectacular views in all directions. The mossy cover on the summit hides many secrets, including summer nesting dotterel and the incredibly camouflaged ptarmigan which turns pure white in winter. On the lower slopes a unique mix of plants have adapted to the harsh conditions of this mighty mountain. The 6 hour walk to the summit and back requires good footwear, warm and waterproof clothing and a reasonable level of fitness. The weather can change quickly at any time of year, so it is essential to be properly prepared. Access is from a car park at Garbat on the A835. You can walk part way up the track to get a view of the eastern end of the hill. On the summit ridge please keep to the centre of the main route to help preserve this precious habitat, as the sensitive mosses are easy damaged by trampling.

The Flow Country is an internationally important area of blanket bog – a globallyrare type of peatland – which covers a large area of Sutherland and Caithness. The peatlands are a vast, open landscape with scattered pool systems that are home to specialist plants, insects and wildlife. Birds that depend on this wild, unspoilt environment include red-throated and black-throated divers, golden plover and greenshank. Bogs are also home to many species of insects and spiders, as well as amphibians, reptiles and small mammals. The Flow Country is on the UK’s tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage Site status and is considered to be the best peatland of its type anywhere in the world. It stores an incredible amount of carbon (400 million tonnes!). The best time to see peatland birds is April to June, but all summer there is a variety of different plants and wildlife to discover. Self-guided trails and a distinctive lookout tower allow you to explore the mosaic of pools, while information is available in the visitor centre (open Apr – Oct), in the former railway station

The estuary, coastline and spectacular pine woodland at Loch Fleet is a great place to see wildlife, whatever the season or time of day. Fast-flowing currents empty the tidal basin of water on every tide leaving sandbanks exposed. Here you can spot seals and their pups hauled out on the banks or when the tide is high, watch the intense feeding activity of hungry wading birds from the bird hide on the shore in Balblair Bay. Keep your eyes peeled for the elusive osprey diving for fish in summer and impressive numbers of other wader and wildfowl species in winter. There are a range of easy walks around the Reserve, which take you through the coastal dunes on a carpet of wild flowers or into the pine woodlands. Listen out for siskin, redstart and crossbills in the tall pines. It’s an easy walk or cycle from the village of Golspie to the woods, and the bird hide is around half a mile from the entrance to the woodland. Littleferry at the end of the road is a great place for a picnic and is a tranquil spot with an old pier and an icehouse nestling among a cluster of houses.