free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
Making the most of the beautiful sunshine while the high pressure has settled over the UK.
First navigation problem was taking the correct road out of Haddington - no navigating passenger or GPS! Eventually I headed off in the right direction and enjoyed the road climbing into the Lammermuirs. Parking space for a couple of cars near the gate (NT 613637), then it was through the gate and down the track which drops steeply to the Faseny Water. Faseny Cottage is obviously being renovated, an estate worker was busy making tree guards as I passed. Along the track, the ford was too deep to wade so I back-tracked to the footbridge by the cottage, and, after a short foray through the heather, regained the track that gently climbs up Dun Side. Initially the track was very unpleasant, fairly loose, fine-grained mud with stones; higher up, the track was very wet/frozen, and when it finally ended, it was quite difficult (walking towards a brilliant sun) to pick up the footpath.
Eventually I gave up on the 'footpath' and just headed up the broad ridge to the summit trig point. Great to see a mountain hare bounding ahead of me - I had no idea they could be seen here.
- View north to the Forth and Bass Rock (extreme right)
I had intended to pass the trig point and then follow the track west then north-east back to the car. However, finding that it was the same soft wet mud as the earlier track, I opted for retracing my route of ascent.
- Following a ditch across the heather
And yes, as a previous contributor noted, the short pull back up to the road is a killer ...........................