10 years a tower

Flanders Moss NNR

It is almost 10 years to the day that the Flanders Moss viewing tower was opened to the public.

In many ways it has transformed Flanders and the way people see it by changing visitors’ perspective from the human height to 7m above ground level. In this way the whole mighty expanse of Flanders, all 2200 acres, can be seen stretching out with its beautiful bog tapestry of colours.  Though the purpose of the tower was actually to be invisible and frame people’s view of the moss rather than being an attraction in itself, it has become an iconic structure featuring in various guide books and write-ups of the Moss.

A few facts about the tower:
– the platform is 7 m above the bog surface
– it is a bit like an iceberg as it is longer under the surface than above: the supporting piles go 10m down through the peat into the underlying clay
– it is built mainly of Scottish oak
– the architect was Robin Baker of Baker Associates in Birnam and it was built by Luddons from Glasgow, both relatively local firms
– the design aimed to give people a unique view across the Moss while merging into the landscape
– the overall aim is for people to experience the wide expanse of the Moss without causing any damage to the fragile and hazardous bog surface