Mount Keen by Glen Tanar
Braemar and Ballater
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1. There is a car park at the end of the public road at Glen Tanar (bear right before reaching the house to find the car park). From here walk past the sawmill and follow the signed track for the public right of way to 'Glen Esk by The Mounth'. Once beyond the cottages the track heads into the pinewoods, with glimpses of a boating lake over to the left. Beyond this another track comes in from the left; continue ahead. The mature Scots pinewoods along the first seven kilometres or so of this walk are a magnificent National Nature Reserve, so keep an eye out for rare wildlife such as the Scottish Cross-bill, the Red Squirrel, the spectacular Capercaillie or the Crested Tit.
2. The track continues through the pinewoods with glimpses of the river. At one point is passes an old stone shed which is falling into disrepair. Continue to follow the track up the glen, passing but not crossing a stone bridge over the Tanar at NO490 941. After another kilometre and a half of this delightful woodland walk a cattle grid is crossed. Over to the left the river flows over some huge stone slabs.
3. Cross a small stone bridge over the Burn of Glendui to reach the wooden 'Half-way hut', an open shelter which is useful if the rain is coming down. A short distance beyond the forest is left behind at last and the open glen stretches ahead. At the fork in the track, take the left branch. Further on the track passes a stone cairn marking the limit of the Glen Tanar National Nature Reserve; a short distance beyond, cross the bridge over the river and continue on the south bank for about a kilometre before crossing back at a second bridge.
Photo ©Paul Birrell, licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Licence.
4. Mount Keen can now be seen ahead as a conical swelling on the moors. When the track forks once more, go left to reach a third bridge over the Tanar, this time a new wooden structure which was built in recent years after the old bridge was swept away in a flood. Cross this and follow the old route of the Mounth Road uphill onto the moors; the path is very clear and eroded in places.
Photo ©Mark Klimek, licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Licence.
5. Higher up the path forks; the original Mounth route keeps to the right to bypass the top of Mount Keen but these days far more travellers along the route want to visit the summit and the left branch heading for the top is now the better-walked route. There are good views back north into the lonely upper reaches of Glen Tanar.
Photo ©Stuart Meek, licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Licence.
6. The summit of Mount Keen – the most easterly Munro at 939 metres - is marked by a trig point sitting atop a rocky outcrop quite uncharacteristic of the sweeping heather slopes all around. You may meet other walkers who have come up the more popular and shorter route from Glen Esk to the south. This would be an excellent through walk but would end many miles from where you started, so for most the only option is to return the way you came, but the walk back through the Tanar pinewoods is even more enjoyable on the way back.
Photo ©Callum Black, licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Licence.
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