First spring outing - Mt Keen

[Gordon Ballantyne]

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Having been trapped by the weather since a foray to Garva for Meall na h Aisre at the end of last year, couldn't wait any longer and took my bike up Glentannar to the shieling. I was a little tardy setting off from Westhill at the crack of noon.

Walked up the mighty scarred pathup over the hump and during my many stops saw the Royal estates burning heather.

Then with unfit rubbery legs tackled the final plook to reach the trig point and look across to Ben Avon and Lochnagar - still plastered in snow.

The return trip was uneventfull until the chain jumped off my bike and required a wee bit of engineering to fix it.
Had some difficuilty getting my bike on the car rack in my fatigued state - what's new !

[Huff_n_Puff]

Thanks for the memories - have been up this hill several times - and got a gale at the top on each one

[seasgaich99]

Well done! For an Aiberdonian like me, this was a cherished mountain, (although Lochnagar was my favourite). I first saw it fwhen playing golf at Tarland in the early 1980s, and set my mind to getting up there sometime. I've walked it all five times to date, from Glen Tanar and Glen Lee. Once, I got my brother to drop me at Tarfside, and I climbed Mount Battock, the Hill of Cat, Tampie and Mount Keen, then down to meet brother and Mum at the old Bridge of Tanar. Maybe next time, I'll take my bike - seems a grand idea.

The last time, I did it with a chum - Dave's from Westhill too, by the way - and we went in by the Queen's Well. February 1996. It was blowing a hoolie on the summit, spin drift getting inside balaclavas and drilling our faces. A quick bite huddled in the ring cairn and a chat with a German chiel, then back down to sanity!

The things we do for love, eh?