Mount Keen

Munro Count:
9

Accompanyment:
Nick Ross & Alex Gordon

Munro Stats:

Height
3081 ft
Most Easterly Munro

Difficulty
6/10 Flat walking and a nice steady climb

Enjoyment
3.5/10 - 6 miles is too long to get to the mountain. Took too much enjoyment out of the day - especially for 1st Munro-baggers Nick & Alex... but for me also.

Route:


Weather was excellent but the planning will have to be improved upon next time to say the least! The "plan" was to test out 3 gadgets of mine too... the walkie-talkie watches which my sister got me for my birthday/christmas, and try and have a BBQ by lighting a fire with my fire-stick knife - and cook the massive amount of meat I had purchased at the butchers in the morning on a BBQ-grill gadget I had randomly got myself some time back!

Parked at the pay & display car park in Glen Tanar estate by a lovely old bridge and followed thr road around the back of the riding school and Glen Tanar buildings. Through a gate then a left turn through the small field area. Turning right is the only way to go from there which then takes you into the forest.

I am sure I had been told it took 4 hours... but after a slow 6 mile walk to the foot of Mount Keen (which took about 2 1/2 hours) we were all pretty knackered!!! It was a nice walk through the forest with lovely views all the way to the foot of Mount Keen.



Nick & I made it to the top and toasted the Old Man Of Lochnagar - as its summit could be seen clearly across the way - whilst downing a few drams of its 12 year old malt. Nice.



The walk down was sore to say the least, with only the comforting few hundred metres of snow walking which felt like walking in sand compared to the coal-walking that followed our 6 mile lumber home. Our soft feet blistered and our stiffening legs ached, and there wasn't enough time to sit back and enjoy the BBQ... at all! The walk ended in darkness but lessons had been learned on Ben Macdui - and my head-torch lit the way back to the car.

The weather was amazing and it was great to get some fine Highland air. There is a nice feeling to be had when you are sore all over and you can sit down knowing you deserve a lazy night in front of the telly! All in all a great weekend and I can now tick off the most Easterly Munro on my map!

We were too knackered to go out for dinner but had lunch the next day at the best place in town... The Boat Inn. Best fresh haddock and chips... massive portion as usual!!! Log fire too. Tell them to turn the train on for you too for a laugh! Only other place I'd recommend is Lodge on the Loch just outside Aboyne heading for Aberdeen (1 mile outside take left turn off road). Great loch views (& food of course!) and amazing sticky toffee pudding and ice cream!!!! Mmmmmmm!!!



Hints:
Take mountain bikes if doing this route. It might be crap going steadily uphill (it's not that bad - I have cycled this path before another time - had to stop a few times ) but it's great coming back! And you save injuring your feet so much!

I have since been told that this is much better a climb coming from the other side of the mountain (from Edzell way). You would need someone to drop you there and ideally drop some bikes off at the foot of the mountain on the other side (accessible through Glen Tanar estate - easily drivable road - no 4x4 required!!!) I will do this route this summer maybe so will update this when I do it that way!

Timing:
Glen Tanar carpark to top of mountain without much stopping 4:00
We took an hour to descend due to blister patching and sore feet!!!
3:00 to get back to the car :(

Total time 7:00