Walking in the Angus Glens. James Carron
in Scotland have long enjoyed the right to roam on just about any land, with no requirements to stay on defined paths or rights of way. This position was ratified with the implementation of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 which gives everyone the right to be on most land provided they act responsibly. To help people enjoy Scotland’s outdoors responsibly, the Scottish Outdoor Access Code was drawn up as part of the bill. The main points of the code relevant to hillwalkers are summarised below.
Take responsibility for your own actions.
Respect people’s privacy and peace of mind.
Help land managers and others to work safely and effectively.
Care for your environment.
Keep your dog under proper control.
The freedom to roam does have some restrictions. In common with many rural parts of Scotland, Angus has a good many sporting estates where animals and birds such as red deer and grouse are shot, whether for sport or conservation. These estates derive a significant amount of their income from shooting and it is an important part of the rural economy.
Deer management takes place at various times of the year but the most sensitive period is the stag-stalking season which runs from 1 July to 20 October. The grouse-shooting season runs from 12 August to 10 December. Most of this activity takes place on open hillside and tends to be away from popular walking routes. That said, a number of routes in the guide do cross land where both deer stalking and grouse shooting take place.
During the shooting seasons it is recommended that walkers do their best to seek permission from the relevant landowner before setting off. Generally the estates in Angus try to be as accommodating as possible and will often give useful advice on areas to avoid or alternative routes. As part of the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, Scottish Natural Heritage operates an online service called Heading for the Scottish Hills (www.outdooraccess-scotland.com/hftsh) that provides deer-stalking information for various estates, including a number in Angus (see Appendix B for further contact details). Stalking and shooting do not generally take place on a Sunday.
During the shooting seasons, walkers can assist landowners by heeding the following points.
Follow reasonable advice given including Heading for the Scottish Hills messages, deer management group leaflets, notices at parking places or by estate staff encountered.
Take reasonable steps to find out where stalking and shooting is taking place and take account of advice on alternative routes.
Use paths where available.
Consult estates about plans if organising a large group walk.
Avoid wild camping in corries.
Keep voices to reasonable levels as sound carries in the hills.
Keep dogs on a short lead or under close control.
Avoid cutting down through corries, and if this is not possible follow the main watercourse through the corrie.
Follow mountain ridges where possible.
The following are also useful tips for responsible walking.
Minimise disturbance to livestock, especially during the lambing season (March–May). Dogs should be kept on a short lead at all times near sheep and cows. Never let a dog worry or attack sheep or cattle and be particularly careful when crossing ground where cows are accompanied by their calves. Cows are very protective of their young and there have been incidents when walkers with dogs have been seriously injured or killed by stampeding cattle, panicked by the sight of dogs. If this happens to you, it is better to let your dog off its lead as it will make its own escape without endangering you.
On open hillsides, moor and grassland, dogs should be kept on a short lead or under close control during the bird-nesting season (April–July). If a dog is prone to give chase, keep it under close control in areas where there may be wild animals like rabbits, hare and deer or birds such as pheasants and grouse.
Do not disturb wildlife or damage the environment by interfering with the habitats of birds and animals or picking plants or flowers.
Stick to paths and tracks where possible to avoid damaging ground vegetation and keep to the centre of the path to avoid further widening it or creating additional erosion. Avoid damaging walls and fences by climbing over them and wherever possible use stiles or gates. If a fence has to be crossed, do so at a post to avoid straining wires. Leave gates as you find them.
From time to time temporary access restrictions may be encountered. This could, for example, be a forest track closed due to tree felling, or a path shut because of bad erosion. Usually a diversion will be offered; if there is no diversion, consult the map and work out an alternative or curtail the route.
Glen Lethnot
Using this guide
The walks are divided into six sections, one for each of the main Angus glens and the sixth offering a selection of hill-path routes following established rights of way. While the majority of the walks are circular, the hill paths are linear routes offering scope for longer, multi-day treks.
The route descriptions all begin with an information box noting the start point for each walk, including a brief description and grid reference, plus advice on the availability of car parking. The distance, height gain and time required to complete the route is also listed. The time quoted is an estimate based on Naismith’s Rule and does not include rest or meal breaks.
Details of maps required to safely navigate the route are also given. The maps published in the guide are from the Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger series. It is strongly recommended that rather than relying solely on these map extracts walkers carry the relevant OS 1:50,000 Landranger or OS 1:25,000 Explorer sheet (the latter offers a much greater level of detail). Gaelic spellings used in the route descriptions all follow those used on the Ordnance Survey maps for ease of correlation.
A summary of the route follows, offering a brief overview of what can be expected in terms of terrain and the level of walking and navigational experience required. The guide assumes a basic level of hillwalking experience, the knowledge to read and understand maps and relate this information to the physical landscape and the ability to navigate competently using map and compass.
Pausing for a rest by the Tolmouth with superb views over Glen Doll (Walk 28)
The majority of the routes follow established tracks and paths while features such as fence lines, walls, streams and forestry assist with route-finding. However, on some routes, sections cross open ground where there are few easily identifiable physical landmarks and where paths are either indistinct or non-existent. It is in such circumstances that the ability to navigate is essential.
Glen Isla
GLEN ISLA
A view of Badandun Hill from woodland above Craighead (Walk 2)
WALK 1
Monega Hill, Glas Maol, Creag Leacach and Monamenach
| Start/Finish | Auchavan, 10km north of Kirkton of Glenisla (NO 192 698) |
| Distance | 21km (13 miles) |
| Time | 7hr |
| Height gain | 1242m (4075ft) |
| Maps | OS 1:50,000 Landranger 43; OS 1:25,000 Explorer 387 |
For two mountains in such close proximity,