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I was driving up to Mar Lodge to stay the weekend with friends and fancied this hill as a break on the drive up. it was cold and windy as I parked the car at NO188649 at a gate through which the Cateran Trail passed. I followed this excellent trail until it turned south into the woods beside Auchintaple Loch. I had decided to do a circuit route by going round to the east of the hill and walking up the south-east flank on a path beside some grouse butts. This would take me into an area I'd never been to before.
- The track on the east side of the hill
It was a very pleasant stroll round to the start of the steeper ascent on the path up to the summit, where I paused for a look over to Crock.
- Looking south east to Crock and Loch Shandra
By now, the cold wind was beginning to bite and I was glad to see the summit come into view.
- Approaching the summit
I made the mistake of leaving the path a bit too early to head directly for the top and found myself in a boggy peat hagged area when there was a perfectly dry path just a little further on.
- On the summit looking over to Mount Blair
I was interested in seeing Mount Blair and Ducharay Hill - two Grahams I hoped to climb on the Sunday return journey. (little did I know about the storm coming in!) It was too blowy and cold for a stop so I carried on down the track through a gap in what must be one of the best-built drystane dyke I've seen on any hill and then the hillside deteriorated into one of the worst peat-hagged areas I've ever seen.
- Looking back to the summit and the drystane dyke
- the extensive peat hags
Fortunately, the track somehow or other wound its way through the hags without going into too many boggy areas and I was amazed to come through pretty unscathed. From here it was a lovely gentle descent back to the Cateran trail with a pause for a photo of Duchray Hill.
- Looking over to Duchray Hill
I hadn't stopped for a break on my walk so I was glad to get back to the car for a snack and a cuppa just as the rain started to fall.