Mount Keen is the most easterly of the Munros, taking the form of a dome-shaped swelling above the general level of the vast Mounth plateaux. The shortest route to it is from Glen Esk in the south, but the finest is this longer approach through the magnificent pinewoods of Glen Tanar.
Easy going hillwalk with a long approach; good track and paths.
No public transport.
Car park (charge) on the right, by Bridge of Tanar.
There is car park (charge) on the right, opposite the Bridge of Tanar. Begin the walk by contiuing to the end of the public road. From here turn right (signed as a right of way to Glen Esk by the Mounth), heading past some attractive turreted cottages. The track then bends left past the houses and continues to a junction. Turn left here to head behind the sawmill, and then turn right at the next wooden cottage to join the original 'Mounth' road. The track now 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.
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 NO461941. Continue along the main track; over to the left the river flows over some huge stone slabs.
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 leaves 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.
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 wood and metal 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 first section uphill is on a bulldozed track.
Soon the wide track forks and becomes two separate paths - both wide and eroded. 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 hill is just as broad. Higher up the two routes come within a few yards of each other and are linked by a narrow path so it doesn't matter which route is taken until this point. After this the path steepens considerably to surmount the great dome of Mount Keen's upper slopes. There are good views looking back down the path to the bleak upper reaches of Glen Tanar.
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.
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