Mount Keen and Driesh & Mayar

[PostTIT1]

So I had a massive day here, started early at Mount Keen in Glen Esk at 6:30 before driving the hour and a half to Glen Clova to climb these two. Started these at 13:00 and made it back to the car by 16:50 (although I did run for some of it...).

I managed to make friends with an elderly couple for the initial ascent from the Glen Doll car park and chatted with them about their live, their tours of Austria, and their adventures in Iran and Syria in their youth. Miraide and Tom please let me walk with you more!?

I then parted ways whilst walking up the valley as they were only going up Mayar. I passed the conservation lads who were remaking a path, said my hellos and kept walking up. It was lovely t-shirt weather until I reached the col where the wind bit my face like it had been starved for days...
Hood up, hat on, headphones in. I ploughed left to the top of Driesh and sat for only a minute before I couldn't take the cold anymore.

And straight back down to the col, practically running to keep warm and to find shelter (there was none). I bumped into another elderly man called Archie who was spending his day bird surveying. Sadly the wind was too much and departed down into the valley to go home so I continued onto Mayar.

My friends from earlier had almost reach the top when I caught up to them and we shared some fruit gums at the top in spite of the onset of frostbitten fingers. And from there we said our goodbyes and best wishes and I raced back down the hill to the col, the valley, the conservation lads, Mr Bird Survey, and the car.

Evidently a cold wind is all that's needed to make me go fast!

The walking terrain itself was very pleasant; the initial forest path was slightly mucky, but was lovely pass through - and once up on the top of the col the route was very easy underfoot with well trodden paths and relatively flat traverse between tops.

I would recommend, even if you wanted to go in your trainers you could manage it!

[AHillTooFar]

A pity you did not go up to Corrie Fee, best part of the area IMO. Not sure how conditions were but the path up the back of the corrie is a great way up.

[PostTIT1]

There was a lot of snow around the corrie I had been told, and I didn't have any crampons or axes. Probably could have managed but I'd made friends with an elderly couple so journeyed up and down with them and they didn't opt for the corrie. I was okay with it - but I'll go back, no doubt about that!

[melissaleslie]

It's amazing what a few weeks can do to change the weather, we went up here on 19th May and it was absolutely glorious. Couldn't remember seeing any snow, but I've just checked back the photos on my walk report and Driesh did have a wee bit left lying over.

We saw the path builders too, heroes they are! That Kilbo Path was in dire need.