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A warm day forecast and the weather people weren't wrong. An easy day planned.
No GC today as he was in the final throes of his covid isolation.
Picked up H and headed west for the Forest o Birse.
Parked up just beyond the track to Burnfoot in a nice generous layby..
Gave H a splash in the Water of Feugh to cool him down before the start of the walk.
Baudnacauner
Strolled past a deserted Achnabrack and through the gates enclosing a big paddock with sheep in it.
- Auchnabrack and outbuildings
- A deserted Auchnabrack
Took the high track over the ford where H got another splash.
A sweaty toil up the "orange" track for Baudnacauder, with no breeze to cool us, to it's terminus just below the bealach.
- The "orange " track up Baudancauner
- The terminus of the orange track up Baudancauner
I'd tried to memorise the route of the ATV tracks I'd seen on GE, but failed miserably and after losing the track, plotted a course up hard bottomed peat hags, old muir burn and animal tracks to the top of Baudnacauner, which didn't cause too much distress. We disturbed a red deer hind and it's fawn, who emerged from an adjacent hag and shot off down the hill as we approached.
On the summit plateau, we put up a family of grouse, who whirred off in every direction, while one of the parents gave us the broken wing routine to lead us away from the rest of the covey. Quickly moved on to minimise disturbance.
We eventually stumbled into the mown ATV track running over the top.
Reposed beside a singleton boulder marking the top, after visiting several other candidates for the highest point.
This also seemed to coincide with the location of the spot height.on my OS app - the technology works !
- Harvey guarding the top of Baudancauner
Soaked in the scenery bathed in the noonday sun - Mount Battock and its mates ( where we'd been last week ),
Peter Hill next door and Gannoch at the end of Birse glen. ( site of the 1963 Vulcan aircraft crash ).
Got bored with only H to talk to so followed the ATV track back down, which followed a row of shooting butts.
- Passing the shooting butts straddling the hags on the way back down from Baudencauner
An easier way up than the route I took, and a doddle to follow on the descent back to the orange track terminus.
As we passed Achnabrack, a curlew rose and circled overhead - escorting us off the premises.
Noticed that the bell heather was starting to bloom, so the bumble bees were buzzing around them industriously.
Speedwell and Heath bedstraw also were in flower by the track......
- "Bell" heather by the track
- Heath bedstraw? by the track
- Top end of the glen of the Forest o Birse
Gave H another cool-down in the Feugh before we mounted up for the "Cairn".
Kircram
Elected to follow the double deer fence from the access track to the shooting butts on Meluncart.
Stepped over the remnants of the wooden side fence by the gate and followed the fence for a wee bit.
- The double deer fence up Kircram running alongside the Cairn o Mount road
Eased over to the crest of the ridge to find some easier ground but apart from a bit of muir burn it was tussocky and heathery, so a bit of moose-stepping from my tired legs needed. Found the trig by the fence after visiting a bit of higher ground to the W.
- Kircram's trig by the deer fence
Rested for a wee bit then descended by the fence which was marginally better underfoot.
The bog cotton was waving around in the welcome afternoon breeze as we descended......
- Bog cotton on Kircram
Had to empty my reserve scran box to give H a much-needed drink, as I'd forgotten his "takeaway" drinking dish.
Mounted up and scurried to the Bikers cafe in Banchory for my "half-pig" bacon roll. Sorry GC, I missed your company today, but scoffed the goods with glee !
Seems we had another record temperature today - 26 degC, so it's no wonder I was a wee bit dehydrated when I got home - drinking everything in sight.