free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
Yet another beautiful sunny 2015 day on the hills! I didn't have a lot of daylight for this walk, as I wasn't able to get started till nearly 2pm, but this short walk made the best of the daylight (and unseasonal warmth, and lack of breeze…). Parked in the parking area opposite the phone box at Folda, beside the old signpost and some very impressively-horned sheep.
- The old signpost at Folda
I walked north along the public road about 300m to the point where the Cateran Trail branched NE, over an Eiger-like stile, and up the hill. At the first track junction I stayed straight on the Trail, slanting uphill, across another stile and eventually to another junction. This time I went left while the Trail went right, and I stayed on this track, which isn't on the OS 1:50,000 map, but definitely exists! It varied between grassy, peaty and well-made with stones, had been recently driven on by something with big tracks, and gave a pretty gentle climb and fast walk all the way to the top of the hill (1 hour).
The excavations that carved the track through some huge peat hags just below the top slightly dampened the sense of adventure in getting there, but the top of Badandun is a very good viewpoint N to the Mounth hills, and S over the notorious Angus forested Marilyns, though there's been a lot of felling on Crock and Hare Cairn.
- NW from the summit to Creag Leacach and Glas Maol
- Mayar and Driesh, from the summit
I decided to make a circuit, so headed SE from the top, picking up another track heading more steeply downhill to a track junction, then SW round the E side of the hill, climbing slightly again as it turned W to rejoin the Cateran Trail, past the sun shining on Auchintaple Loch, and NW to rejoin the uphill route. It was a pleasant downhill walk back to the car, watching the sun set over Mount Blair.
- The last of the sun over Mount Blair
