Editing Caithness (section)

==Geography==
Caithness extends about {{convert|30|mi|km}} north-south and about {{convert|30|mi|km}} east-west, with a roughly triangular-shaped area of about {{cvt|712|sqmi|km2}}. The topography is generally flat, in contrast to the majority of the remainder of the North of Scotland. Until the latter part of the 20th century when large areas were planted in [[conifer]]s, this level profile was rendered still more striking by the almost total absence of woodland.
[[File:caithness.jpg|thumb|left|Caithness landscape, looking towards [[Halkirk]] from Beinn Freiceadain]]

It is a land of open, rolling farmland, [[moorland]] and scattered settlements. The county is fringed to the north and east by dramatic coastal scenery and is home to large, internationally important colonies of seabirds. The surrounding waters of the [[Pentland Firth]] and the [[North Sea]] hold a great diversity of marine life. Notable features of the north coast are [[Sandside Bay]], [[Thurso Bay]] and [[Dunnet Bay]], [[Dunnet Head]] (the northernmost point of Britain) and [[Duncansby Head]] (the north-east tip of Britain); along the east coast can be found Freswick Bay, [[Sinclairs Bay]] and [[Wick Bay]]. To the north in Pentland Firth lies [[Stroma, Scotland|Stroma]], the only major island of the county. Away from the coast, the landscape is dominated by open moorland and blanket [[bog]] known as the [[Flow Country]] which is the largest expanse of blanket bog in Europe, extending into Sutherland. This is divided up along the ''straths'' ([[river]] [[valley]]s) by more fertile farm and [[croft (land)|croft]] land. In the far south the landscape is slightly hillier, culminating in [[Morven, Caithness|Morven]], the highest peak in the county at 706&nbsp;m (2,316&nbsp;ft).

The county contains a number of lochs, though these are smaller in comparison with the rest of northern Scotland. The most prominent are [[Loch Heilen]], [[St. John's Loch]], [[Loch Watten]], [[Loch More, Caithness|Loch More]], [[Loch Shurrery]], [[Loch Calder]] and [[Loch of Mey|Loch Mey]].

The underlying geology of most of Caithness is [[Old Red Sandstone]] to an estimated depth of over {{convert|4000|m|ft}}. This consists of the cemented sediments of [[Orcadian Basin|Lake Orcadie]], which is believed to have stretched from [[Shetland]] to [[Grampian]] during the [[Devonian]] period, about 370 million years ago. Fossilised fish and plant remains are found between the layers of sediment. Older metamorphic rock is apparent in the [[Scaraben]] and [[Ord of Caithness|Ord]] area, in the relatively high southwest area of the county. Caithness's highest point ([[Morven, Caithness|Morven]]) is in this area.

Because of the ease with which the sandstone splits to form large flat slabs ([[flagstone]]) it is an especially useful building material, and has been used as such since [[Neolithic]] times.

===Natural heritage===
[[File:St John's Loch near Dunnet Head - geograph.org.uk - 326534.jpg|thumb|St John's Loch near [[Dunnet Head]] has the distinction of supporting the most northerly hatch of [[Mayfly]] in the British Isles]]
Caithness is one of the [[Watsonian vice-counties]], subdivisions of [[Great Britain|Britain]] and [[Ireland]] which are used largely for the purposes of biological recording and other scientific data-gathering. The vice-counties were introduced by [[Hewett Cottrell Watson]], who first used them in the third volume of his ''{{lang|la|Cybele Britannica}}'', published in 1852.

The underlying geology, harsh climate, and long history of human occupation have shaped the natural heritage of Caithness. Today a diverse landscape incorporates both common and rare habitats and species, and Caithness provides a stronghold for many once common breeding species that have undergone serious declines elsewhere, such as [[wader]]s, [[European water vole|water vole]]s, and flocks of [[bird migration|overwintering]] birds.

Many rare mammals, birds, and fish have been sighted or caught in and around Caithness waters. [[Harbour porpoise]]s, dolphins (including [[Risso's dolphin|Risso's]], [[bottle-nosed dolphin|bottle-nosed]], [[common dolphin|common]], [[Atlantic white-sided dolphin|Atlantic white-sided]], and [[white-beaked dolphin]]s), and [[minke whale|minke]] and [[long-finned pilot whale]]s<ref>ALISTAIRMUNRO. 2017. [https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/lifestyle/outdoors/1332966/video-amazing-footage-pilot-whales-rissos-dolphins-off-coast-caithness/ VIDEO: Amazing footage of pilot whales and Risso’s dolphins off the coast of Caithness] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170930180212/https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/lifestyle/outdoors/1332966/video-amazing-footage-pilot-whales-rissos-dolphins-off-coast-caithness/ |date=30 September 2017 }}. ''[[The Press and Journal (Scotland)|The Press and Journal]]''. 30 September 2017</ref> are regularly seen from the shore and boats. Both [[grey seal|grey]] and [[common seal]]s come close to the shore to feed, rest, and raise their pups; a significant population over-winters on small islands in the Thurso river only a short walk from the town centre. [[Otter]]s can be seen close to river mouths in some of the quieter locations.

Much of the centre of Caithness is known as the [[Flow Country]], a large, rolling expanse of [[peat]]land and [[wetland]] that is the largest expanse of [[blanket bog]] in Europe. Around {{cvt|1500|km2}} of the Flow Country is protected as both a [[Special Protection Area]] (SPA) and [[Special Area of Conservation]] (SAC) under the name [[Caithness and Sutherland Peatlands]],<ref name=spa>{{cite web|url=https://sitelink.nature.scot/site/8476|title=Caithness and Sutherland Peatlands SPA|publisher=Scottish Natural Heritage|access-date=2019-01-30|archive-date=31 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190131092837/https://sitelink.nature.scot/site/8476|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://sitelink.nature.scot/site/8218|title=Caithness and Sutherland Peatlands SAC|publisher=Scottish Natural Heritage|access-date=2019-01-30|archive-date=31 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190131093010/https://sitelink.nature.scot/site/8218|url-status=live}}</ref> and a portion is further designated as the [[Forsinard Flows National Nature Reserve|Forsinard Flows national nature reserve]].<ref name="nnr">{{cite web|url=https://sitelink.nature.scot/site/10526|title=Forsinard Flows National Nature Reserve|publisher=Scottish Natural Heritage|access-date=2019-01-29|archive-date=31 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190131093103/https://sitelink.nature.scot/site/10526|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2014 {{convert|44|sqmi|km2}} of the eastern coastline of Caithness between [[Helmsdale]] and [[Wick, Caithness|Wick]] was declared a [[Marine Protected Areas in Scotland|Nature Conservation Marine Protected Area]] under the title [[East Caithness Cliffs]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sitelink.nature.scot/site/10408|title=East Caithness Cliff MPA(NC)|access-date=30 August 2019|publisher=Scottish Natural Heritage|archive-date=16 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190816095231/https://sitelink.nature.scot/site/10408|url-status=live}}</ref> The cliffs are also designated as both a Special Protection Area and a Special Area of Conservation.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sitelink.nature.scot/site/8492|title=East Caithness Cliffs SPA|publisher=Scottish Natural Heritage|access-date=27 September 2019|archive-date=27 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190927120403/https://sitelink.nature.scot/site/8492|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=sac>{{cite web|url=https://sitelink.nature.scot/site/8248|title=East Caithness Cliffs SAC|publisher=Scottish Natural Heritage|access-date=27 September 2019|archive-date=27 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190927120404/https://sitelink.nature.scot/site/8248|url-status=live}}</ref>