A morning on the bog boardwalk

The car park was empty at seven, which is the whole point of leaving at six. The first few hundred metres run through birch and alder before the trees thin out and the bog opens up like a flat brown sea.

Frost and planks

In late October the planks are slippery until the sun reaches them. Walk on the rough edge, not in the middle where everyone else has polished them smooth. The observation tower is worth the climb even with numb fingers.

What grows here

Sphagnum in every shade from green to rust, dwarf pines no taller than a child, cotton grass gone to seed, and cranberries scattered along the hummocks. Picking is allowed in small amounts; stepping off the boardwalk is not.

Practical bits

The loop is about five kilometres. Bring a thermos, a dry pair of socks and something to sit on at the tower. Mobile coverage is patchy in the middle of the bog, so download the map before you go.