[5] One of these includes Ben Hutig and a section of the northern cliffs, and is of interest for its blanket bog, Alpine heath plants,and geology.

[9] A'Mhòine sits within both a Special Protection Area and a Special Area of Conservation titled the Caithness and Sutherland Peatlands,[5][10][11] and is home to golden eagles, greylag geese, dunlin and other wading birds, as well as "rare water-dependent plants, dwarf shrubs and alpine heath".

It largely follows a route commissioned by the Duke of Sutherland in 1830,[3] and passes the ruins of Moine House, a small building "erected for the refuge of the traveller".

[4] It is now part of the North Coast 500 touring route, and deviates slightly from the Duke of Sutherland's road in places following upgrades in the late 20th century.

[5][17][18] Permission to build the spaceport was opposed by a holding objection from the Wildland company of billionaire Danish couple Anne and Anders Povlson,[19][20] who argued that the area is protected under the Ramsar Convention,[5] a 1971 treaty covering internationally important wetlands, ratified by the UK in 1976.

The Melness Estate is in favour of the project, however, as rent from the spaceport and profit-sharing could help fund efforts to regenerate the peat bog and invest in the local community.