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It's been a while since I posted any walk reports
Been out and about a fair bit, but just haven't had any spare time to actually sit down and put ant reports together.
Middle of December saw me out on Mount Keen - a nice straightforward hill, and luckily for me a good day too (except for the summit itself
). I chose the Glen Tanar approach, which is slightly longer than the more popular Glen Esk route. Made for a pretty long day, especially given a bit of faffing about by yours truly at the start
Main comment on the approach the day I was there was that the excellent landrover track through the forest had a nice bum crunching layer of ice for large chunks of it
I know it was bum crunching, as I came a cropper at one point, despite my best efforts to by-pass via the verges
Sore for a few days after
Early signs on Mount Keen didn't look promising, as there was a layer of cloud hanging onto the summit, despite the blue skies elsewhere
The good news though was that the cloud did eventually lift to give a cloud free summit for a short time. The bad news though was that I was enjoying the views toward Lochnagar and Ben Avon too much and by the time I hit the summit the clag was back and I saw squidly dot
Perishing cold on the summit, so I didn't hang about in the hope the clag lifted. A wise decision, as it never did lift again - indeed cloud thickened more as the day progressed. Instead I put my best foot forward, jogged down through the snow off the summit and then gave myself a good, brisk walk back to the car. Just about in darkness by the time I arrived back at the car, but never had the need for the head torch as the traqck is excellent and there had been a reasonable thaw at the lower level during the day, so the risk of bum crunching was reduced significantly
Despite the summit issue I have to say it was a great day out on a good wee hill
Decent blue skies and some good views, all going to prove a point I firmly believe - which is that it's not just about the epic journey that some hills give but equally its about the views that you enjoy, even if the hill you are climbing is considered by some as 'ordinary'. For me every hill has something to offer, and Mount Keen was no different
Here's a few pictures from the day
- Estate buildings at the start of the route
- The start of the walk
- Icy track......albeit not as icy as some parts
- The halfway hut
- Track out of the forest, with Mount Keen hiding to the left
- One of the bridge crossings on the route in......and out obviously
- Mount Keen showing its face
- The icy path up onto Mount Keen
- Mount Keen showing signs of losing its bonnet of clag
- Oh yes, definitely losing the clag on Mount Keen's summit
- Views opening up toward thre National Park
- Toward Ben Avon
- White Lochnagar
- Looking good for Mount Keen summit views
- Snow white plateau
- Cloud approaching and just about to scupper my cloud free summit
- Yep, there go the views......as Lochnagar is obliterated by cloud
- Summit cairn and splendiferous views on Mount Keen
- Ben Avon on the route back down
- Nice, cold view on the jog off the hill
- Ben Avon again
- Back on the icy track back to the car
- Water of Tanar looking furth in to Glen Tanar
- Half way hut on the way home
- Icy forest track on the return route