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Keen for the Century

Keen for the Century


Postby jonny616 » Wed Jan 25, 2012 10:58 pm

Route description: Mount Keen from Glen Esk

Munros included on this walk: Mount Keen

Date walked: 24/01/2012

Time taken: 6 hours

Distance: 18.2 km

Ascent: 760m

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Left Glasgow at 05:30 & headed for Bridge of Allan to pick up Andy before the wee hop to Angus & Glen Esk! Not a bad run at that time. Arrived at the car park at 08:20. The road up Glen Esk is quite a long hall at 13 miles, and I began to doubt we were on the right road until we saw a sign for Invermark.
From the car park walked along the road following the first couple of signs for Mount Keen & Queen Victoria’s well & onto the track which soon comes out of the woods & the views open up in front of you. When you come to an old gate it is tied up so it must be climbed which is no biggy except many of the cross bars are broken so it’s a bit wobbly. This track joins the one which comes across the river from the left. The Queens well is reached in the hour & is well worth (no pun intended) a closer look and is still working although not with sufficient vigour to tempt Andy or I to drink from it!
Past the white pony in the field which was our first live animal (many dead rabbits & pheasants on the road in) of the day.
Past the house & on up the track. Lots of grouse flying about & eventually one stayed still enough to have its photo taken. Then a couple of red deer but too far away for a good photo.
Hit the snow line as the zigzags start at about 500 meters. Onwards & upwards. Looking for the obvious path splitting to the right of the track as mentioned in the notes. A couple of false starts along not so obvious tracks but tracks no the less with cairns. They do love there cairns in Angus. As we ambled along became aware of many noisy flying birds & wondered what all the fuss was & then we saw an eagle. Amazing but too quick to capture a good photo.
The obvious path to the right is very obvious when you come to it & is very well renovated. Then stone steps almost as far as the summit cairn & shelter. The last 50 meters of ascent the wind really upped its game & the wind chill was incredible freezing camera shutters & icing up our jackets in about two minutes flat. Managed a couple of summit shots & off down out of the wind.
Retraced our steps all the way back to the cottage & sat by the stone wall for a bite to eat.
Whwn we reach the junction, at the bridge we decided to take the track over it which judging by the map led to Invermark castle. Ignored the sign saying no public access & walked on. Past a poor tin red deer that had been shot many times & a wee stalkers hut, We rounded a corner just before a cattle grid & suddenly noticed about 40 stags to our right beautiful. This track then drops down towards the river & a field containing the castle tower 2 ponies & a very territorial ram. A locked gate is to be climbed to get out of the way of the ram & you are on the road that takes you over the river & into the car park.
On the road out we saw lots of pheasants that weren’t dead & the most amazing sight of the day an osprey eating a rabbit (no photo as it bolted when I stopped the car).
All in a great day with as much game as I have ever seen on the hills (just made me hungry)

A big thanks to Andy for the company on the day (& using your photo's). Also a big thanks to all i have walked with to get to the 100 mark. Here's to walking with you all on the next hundred. :D

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Start of the walk
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Track up the Glen
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rusty old gate
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Queen V's well with the track up the Ladder Burn
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The cottage (available to rent)
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Many rivers to cross!
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The Grouse
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Looking back down the Glen
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ZigZag time
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Mounth to the left Keen to the right
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Stone staircase
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100th Summit Mount Keen
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Cold Arse......Andy
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wind chill
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Invermark Castle
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Give them a wide berth
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Ram, 'I'll ram you'.!!!!!
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See ya
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Pheasant
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So there you are.
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jonny616
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Re: Keen for the Century

Postby Magoo82 » Thu Jan 26, 2012 12:00 am

Nice one. Doesn't look like there was too much snow underfoot. I'm looking to get back on the munro trail in February and had already identified this one as a candidate so cheers for the info :D
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Magoo82
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Re: Keen for the Century

Postby ChrisW » Thu Jan 26, 2012 4:00 am

:thumbup: Good stuff Jonny, congratulations on making the ton, a great milestone :thumbup: That road down to Glen Esk is a real pain in the butt though it's a beautiful place once you get there (hunt hill is a lovely walk if you find yourself down that way again) :D
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Re: Keen for the Century

Postby Alastair S » Thu Jan 26, 2012 8:27 am

Congrats for the 100 mark :thumbup:
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Re: Keen for the Century

Postby Steve B » Thu Jan 26, 2012 9:42 am

Well done on the century. :clap:

The 'Osprey' was probably a Buzzard, they can be very mottled and pale sometimes. It is too early for Osprey to be here.
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Re: Keen for the Century

Postby SusieThePensioner » Thu Jan 26, 2012 10:23 am

Congratulations on reaching the 100 :clap:

I enjoyed reading your report and also the photos. Onwards to the next 50 :lol:
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Re: Keen for the Century

Postby quoman » Thu Jan 26, 2012 10:49 am

Well done Jonny on getting to the 100 mark :clap: :clap:
the Stone staircase looks a bit slippy,that ram looks a bit mad tae :lol: :lol:
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Re: Keen for the Century

Postby PeteR » Thu Jan 26, 2012 1:52 pm

Well done on the 100 :D It's a good feeling to hit that milestone. I still have this hill to do and found your report really interesting and useful :D Thanks for posting
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Re: Keen for the Century

Postby rockhopper » Thu Jan 26, 2012 2:26 pm

Centurion, I salute you ! well done especially given the weather :D Glen Esk may be long but [probably] a better approach than from Glen Muick :? :lol: :wink: cheers
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Re: Keen for the Century

Postby pollyh33 » Thu Jan 26, 2012 3:57 pm

Congratulations Jonny !!!!! :clap: :clap:

Oh looks a wee bit chilly but well worth for all the interaction with the animals :lol: :lol:

Fantastic! How long until 200??? :D
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Re: Keen for the Century

Postby Graeme D » Thu Jan 26, 2012 4:13 pm

Congratulations on reaching 100. You really don't look it! :lol:
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Re: Keen for the Century

Postby lomondwalkers » Thu Jan 26, 2012 5:13 pm

Congrats on the 100 Jonny 8) Looks like the animals were more mental looking than the walkers on this one :lol:
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Re: Keen for the Century

Postby jonny616 » Thu Jan 26, 2012 5:59 pm

Magoo82 wrote:Nice one. Doesn't look like there was too much snow underfoot. I'm looking to get back on the munro trail in February and had already identified this one as a candidate so cheers for the info :D


Cheers Magoo82. Not much snow at all. Enjoy it when you do.

lomondwalkers wrote:Congrats on the 100 Jonny 8) Looks like the animals were more mental looking than the walkers on this one :lol:


Thanks. The ram was not a happy walker :lol:

Graeme Dewar wrote:Congratulations on reaching 100. You really don't look it! :lol:


Cheers Graeme. All this walking gives me a youthful complexion :lol:

pollyh33 wrote:Congratulations Jonny !!!!! :clap: :clap:

Oh looks a wee bit chilly but well worth for all the interaction with the animals :lol: :lol:

Fantastic! How long until 200??? :D


Hi Polly. 2022 at 10 a year. :lol: Anytime before that will be a bonus
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Re: Keen for the Century

Postby jonny616 » Thu Jan 26, 2012 6:07 pm

ChrisW wrote::thumbup: Good stuff Jonny, congratulations on making the ton, a great milestone :thumbup: That road down to Glen Esk is a real pain in the butt though it's a beautiful place once you get there (hunt hill is a lovely walk if you find yourself down that way again) :D


Thanks Chris. The walk up the glen was great.

rockhopper wrote:Centurion, I salute you ! well done especially given the weather :D Glen Esk may be long but [probably] a better approach than from Glen Muick :? :lol: :wink: cheers


Cheers RH. The Muick route is further to drive & further to walk. Having done Beinn Dearg the week before this was a wee stroll :lol:

PeteR wrote:Well done on the 100 :D It's a good feeling to hit that milestone. I still have this hill to do and found your report really interesting and useful :D Thanks for posting


Thanks PeteR. Its a great walk enjoy when the time comes.

quoman wrote:Well done Jonny on getting to the 100 mark :clap: :clap:
the Stone staircase looks a bit slippy,that ram looks a bit mad tae :lol: :lol:


Cheers Quoman. It was not as bad as it looked (staircase) the ram was having it. Me, Andy or both :lol:
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jonny616
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Re: Keen for the Century

Postby jonny616 » Thu Jan 26, 2012 6:11 pm

Alastair S wrote:Congrats for the 100 mark :thumbup:


Thanks Alastair

Steve B wrote:Well done on the century. :clap:

The 'Osprey' was probably a Buzzard, they can be very mottled and pale sometimes. It is too early for Osprey to be here.


Cheers Steve. The Buzzard was enjoying his rabbit

SusieThePensioner wrote:Congratulations on reaching the 100 :clap:

I enjoyed reading your report and also the photos. Onwards to the next 50 :lol:


Thanks Susie
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jonny616
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Posts: 1621
Munros:282   Corbetts:14
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Sub 2000:1   Hewitts:17
Wainwrights:8   Islands:8
Joined: Aug 19, 2009

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