“There are some large areas of Scotland, particularly in the north and west, whose largely semi-natural landscapes show minimal signs of human influence. These can be mountains and moorland, stretches of undeveloped coast or large areas of peat bog. These wild and remote areas have a distinct and special character, which is increasingly rare to find. A key component of Scotland’s identity, they bring significant economic benefits, attracting visitors and tourists. Many people derive psychological and spiritual benefit from their existence, and they provide increasingly important havens for Scotland’s wildlife.” – from the Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) website.
An exercise is now underway to map Scotland’s wildness and wild land. SNH is analysing Scottish land, and reporting on its:
Remoteness
Ruggedness
Percieved naturalness
Absence of modern artifacts
The preliminary findings have been published at the link below for discussion. No suprises – North Harris is marked highly in all categories.