A new viewing platform that takes in a remote area of Sutherland could help attract tourists into northern parts of the Highlands.
That is the hope of RSPB Scotland, which has applied to build the viewpoint at Crask, about 13 miles north of Lairg and in the expanse of blanket bog known as the Flow Country.
The platform is part of the Flows to the Future project and will eventually be part of a network of six platforms across Caithness and Sutherland.
Crask was chosen for a viewpoint across the peatland landscape towards the distant mountains of Ben Hee and Creah Dubh Mhor,
The site is located just off the A836 Lairg to Tongue road, just to the south of the Crask Inn.
The viewpoint is being developed by RSPB Scotland, which is working in partnership with several other agencies on the Flows to the Future project.
Stuart Benn from the charity pointed to the North Coast 500 driving route as an initiative which has been able to attract tourists into some of the less regularly explored corners of the Highlands.
He said: “People think of the Highlands and they think of the Cairngorms, Loch Ness, Skye and places like that.
“There is fantastic heritage, history, wildlife and landscapes in this area and bringing more people to see them and providing more information is a good development.”
He described bringing more tourists into the area as “spreading the jam a bit more evenly”.
The design of the viewing platform itself is “based on concentric shapes relating to the distinctive pools and terrain of the landscape” according to a design statement submitted with the planning application.
It will sit at the end of an existing turning head, which will be regarded to form a car parking area.
Signs and interpretation boards will also be included giving further information about the Flow Country.
Another viewpoint and interpretation area already exists at Forsinard.
Others are planned for Moine House, Loch Craggie, Forsinain and Loch Rangag, all of which will be subject to future planning applications.
