The Fungle

As the forecast for today said the best weather would be in Aberdeenshire I headed over to Aboyne in the morning. I have done most of the routes shown on the Deeside series of trailmaps except for one, the Fungle. I left the car in Aboyne and  crossed the river and up a wee side road. The turned right and past the farm Newmill setting all the dogs barking. Then the climb started, its a long steady climb about 4.5 kms stopping to take a pic early on.

After this you carry on for ages, always in the trees and no views at all, but gaining height steadily. Eventually the gradient lessens and you start getting glimpses of views knowing the end is not fat. Finally you come out of the trees and the junction is shortly after that.

Now the single track starts. This is described as awesome in the leaflet. Well  the first several hundred yards seemed to be badly washed out and was full of loose stones, very narrow and testing. There were long rooty sections as well  some of which creating big drop offs. If it hadn't been for the recent torrential rain there and it was dry it would have been easier. However lower down it improves and further down again after some muddy bits and a burn crossing it gets much better. I took some pics of the best bits.

I then arrived at a cottage called "The Guard" and a little below that is this curious construction which appears to have been made as a viewpoint. A previous estate owner in the 19th century built all sorts of strange edifices all over the estate, many with poems engraved on them. There would have been good views from here but it is surrounded by a lodgepole plantation. Also here was a sign warning of "dangerous" capercaillie.

 At this point I decided to head back down as the place was still very wet, and my GPS ran out of batteries. So it was a fast descent down a forest road with care need as it was full of water bars. I came out near Bridge of Ess and here was another construction, a water trough emblazoned with a poem too. I enjoyed the day out and lan on coming back and finishing the route after a dry spell.