This circular walk above the Dornoch Firth to the south of Ardgay is little visited, with a section of heather moorland and a longer stretch through commercial forestry.
Bog Factor
Forest and landrover tracks for much of the distance, short section of more heathery path can be boggy. The route is partly waymarked.
Kincardine Old Church.
Bus or train to nearby Ardgay.
NH601890
Park at the Kincardine Old Church on the A836, and begin the walk by turning left and briefly following the nearside verge the main road towards Ardgay. Take the first left, signed for Kincardine, and keep right at the junction to follow the road which soon ends at a turning area. There is no parking here. Begin the walk proper from the road end, following a track signed for the Badvoon Forest walk. It passes a farmhouse and crosses a cattle grid.
A short distance beyond a fork is reached. Bear right here, then stay on the main track above the forest crofts on your right. The track descends gently into the glen of the Kincardine Burn. The very lonely house of Badvoon comes into view ahead; continue along the track to reach it. There is a private garden sign at the gate, but the marked route through it is an official Core Path for public access, so continue to the parking area and then follow the path which is marked by wooden posts painted green at the top - it bends right at first and then turns back left to avoid the house area. Please keep dogs on lead when in this extended garden area.
The marked path rejoins the original route past an outbuilding, and continues to a pedestrian gate in a deer fence. Pass through the gate and follow the path along the edge of the wood above the burn. There are some good open views of the forests higher up the glen, but there are a couple of boggy patches at times. The path eventually reaches a large, newly built forest track. The waymarked route continues across the boggy heather but the track Join the track and follow it, passing a small lochan.
Continue along he track until it reaches a t-junction, then keep left into the forest. This section can be monotonous, with views over the Firth only from some felled areas. Keep straight on at the next junction, where a track goes off to the right. Eventually the track curves left downhill.
At the end of the forest do not cross the stile straight ahead, instead following the track as it curves to the right and passes through a gate. There follows a more open section of scattered pines, heather and sheep grazings.
Eventually the track leads back to where the route forked right near the start of the walk. Continue straight ahead to return to the end of the public road and then follow this back to the start.
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