Badandun Hill - Again

[Gordie12]

This seems to be my go to hill at the moment as I try to build up my fitness after a long period of illness.

It's an easy little Graham but has great views up to the head of Glen Isla and over to Dreish and Mayar.

My starting point is always between Little Forter and Folda (on the Cateran Way route) where there is room for a couple of cars by the side of the road or there is a large car park 100 yards away at Folda.

I took a 30L rucksack on the walk (completely unnecessary) and filled it with heavy camera gear just to make the climb harder and hopefully to help me get fitter quicker.

This trip was to try to capture the late evening light having failed miserably 3 weeks ago when a bank of cloud arrived as I parked up and started the walk. It looked like the same thing would happen on this attempt as I left the house with wall to wall blue sky but by the time I reached Kirriemuir 20 minutes later the sun was gone and the clouds had returned.

Started the walk around 6:20PM, pretty uneventful, no hordes of people (actually, no people) and with a heavy rucksack it was a harder than normal climb away from the road to gain height. In the early stages of this walk I love the view up Glen Isla to Gas Maol so I find myself constantly looking left.

My hope is that I can climb this hill without stopping and last time out I took an hour to get o the top so I hoped to beat that time and made it without stopping with 40 secs to spare (sad I know but just a little challenge).

I sat at the top and cursed the weather gods as for the second time in 3 weeks I looked east towards where I live to see the area basking in late sunshine while I sat on top of this hill with a bank of high cloud between me and the sun.

Still, the dairylea cheese and strawberry jam sandwiches were epic and amazingly just for ten minutes the sun broke through so I grabbed the camera and got a few shots before the light went.

Took it easy on the way back down the hill and with the cloudy skies it was just starting to turn to dusk when I got back to the car. Not much wildlife around today, 3 red deer and one mountain hare for company.

All in all a great way to spend the night.

Looking West

And Again

Sun's Out - looking over towards Dreish and Mayar

Mount Blair

Obligatory wind farm shot

Cairn and trig point

Heading for home

Monster peat hags - bypassed on path

That's enough sunshine for you mate!!

[Kinshusrst Kid]

Dairylea cheese and strawberry jam sandwiches - brill. A blast from my culinary past there.

[Graeme D]

Ah yes, Badandun Hill. Truly one for the aficionado of monster peat hags.

[Gordie12]

Dairylea cheese and strawberry jam sandwiches - brill. A blast from my culinary past there.

For half a century it was DC and raspberry jam sandwiches but I have now upgraded to the more sophisticated DC and strawberry jam (with champagne no less)

[Gordie12]

Ah yes, Badandun Hill. Truly one for the aficionado of monster peat hags.

Staying local for now Graeme so might do Badandun's close neighbour and now bald Crock next. I'd need to check but I think it's been 6 or 7 years since I last did that one so be good to see how different it is.

[Graeme D]

Ah yes, Badandun Hill. Truly one for the aficionado of monster peat hags.

Staying local for now Graeme so might do Badandun's close neighbour and now bald Crock next. I'd need to check but I think it's been 6 or 7 years since I last did that one so be good to see how different it is.

It's was an absolute travesty when Crock was given that short back and sides a few years ago. Totally robbed it of its own particular appeal and character!