Mayar and Driesh, and Mount Keen - 10/11 Aug 2017

Climbed by year and month

Climbed by year and month

I was considering a walk to Ben Klibreck in Sutherland for the Thursday as the weather looked reasonable early in the week. As my good weather day approached the forecast deteriorated substantially. On the day before my walk chance meeting with Gina meant I might have some company, but she'd already done it and didn't fancy repeating it. The south-east highlands forecast looked much better. I reconsidered going north, and contemplated the south eastern highlands. I mentioned my vague plan to Gina. She was up for it. So at very short notice we arranged to meet up at the Glen Doll car park in the depths of Glen Clova. Both arrived just before 11pm and immediately went to bed in the campers.

Mayar and Driesh - Thursday 10th Aug 2017

Next morning we were about to head off on our walk when the Forestry Commission ranger arrived. Spotting two camper vans together he wandered over for a chat. Apparently overnight parking is not allowed, oops! However he was pretty laid back about it especially as the midges were starting to be a nuisance. And he departed wishing us a good walk. Phew!

We started out along the tracks shortly after. Whilst moving we were free of the midges. I'd printed the maps but Gina needing to practise her navigation had the helm. We soon spotted the bridge over the river that was to be on our return route but we continued straight on. We were following Jock's Road - named after Jock Winter who fought the landowner Duncan MacPherson who wanted to close off access to the glen. Jock, and the Scottish Rights of Way Society won the legal battle which went to the High Court. We crossed the upper River South Esk and the track started climbing through the trees. Corrie Fee comes as something of a surprise. Reaching the edge of the woodland, there's a rock which a grumpy man with his wee dug occupied. Beyond lay a beautiful amphitheatre. The Fee Burn snaked across the floor, crags lined the headwall whilst a waterfall crashed down the rocks.

The summit of Mayar is an understated small cairn amongst a scattering of rocks with fantastic views all around. We found sheltered spot away from the breeze and sitting with a view we scoffed some food. Despite smoke from a small fire well away from us drifting across the landscape it was a fine day to be on a mountain.

After our short break it was back to map reading and walking. Driesh was obvious to the east. We weren't in any hurry taking an hour and a half to stroll the 3km between the two. Approaching the summit of Driesh a young girl and her Grandad were celebrating her first munro. She was standing on the trig point! We looked at the views and grabbed more food. The wind wasn't too bad, I was grateful it kept the temperature down a little. We could have left the summit to the north east to follow along the top of Winter Corrie. However we retraced our steps for just over a kilometre to descend and easy if rough path across the side of Shank of Drumfollow - a great name! Out of the breeze amongst the trees of Glen Doll forest again our path became very rough in places with scattered rocks, tree roots galore and an occasional burn to cross. Which Gina loved! We made it down to the bridge we saw on our outward journey, and crossed to the main track. More people about than there was in the morning. Arriving back at the campers I reflected on a superb day. Gina had done alright with the navigation too, but must remember to think through the reasons she thinks she's somewhere rather than what looks like a guess.

Time for dinner and then make our way over to Invermark for part 2 of the adventure.

Mount Keen from Glen Mark - Friday 11th August 2017

Awakening in the camper just before 7am and the alarm I'd set to wake me up, I opened the blind and looked out. A very dull morning greeted me. A few spots of rain had fallen but very little really. It was breezy too and due to increase in height substantially. "It's going to be an interesting day" I thought. Breakfast and packing the rucksack with more appropriate gear, not to mention sorting out the map print outs, was completed in good time. Gina asked a few questions about her kit so I made a few suggestions. Better trousers, ditch a long sleeve top in favour of a heavier fleece. And a good jacket over a pac-a-mac. We left just after 9am, I narrowly avoided the forgetting to put the GPS on trick. Gina was navigating again. A simple out and back route, turn off the track at the right place and keep going was the general look of the thing. The rain was holding off, for now.

We turned off the road onto a rough track. Passing in front of the House of Mark there were signs on the fence and gate advertising teas, but the place didn't look inviting. Nor was there any indication of where these teas could be obtained. Carrying on at a good pace, quite remarkable how well both of us were feeling after yesterday, we soon reached Queens Well. This is a monument to Queen Victoria who visited the artisian well on 20th September 1861 and drank it's waters. Today, I wouldn't recommend drinking it, too many sheep if you know what I mean.

We continued across the grass surrounding the well to pass by the buildings at Glenmark. One of the old stables looks like it is being converted into a bothy to open next year. We found a good track heading up along side Ladder Burn. A little steep at times but not too bad all things considered. The view back to the start point and beyond into Glen Esk improving. Still the rain kept away. Leaving the Burn we first climbed onto a ridge where the wind really started to pick up. Then left the track we'd been on which heads over a col, to a very nice gravelled path on the southern ridge of Mount Keen itself.

Cross drains broke the beauty of the path, with stones standing on edge threatening to trip you up forcing you to lift weary legs higher than necessary. They wouldn't work as drains anyway as they had little to no slope on them. From about the 800m contour the wind ratcheted up. Gale force wind raced across the summit making it difficult to cross the last boulders with any certainty of precisely where your feet were going to end up. More plonk 'em down and hope for the best. Sheltering below on the east side of the trig I took a couple of snaps. And that was all I took at the summit, there was little other view. During a slight lull clambering up to touch the top and dive back into shelter.

Quickly we grabbed some food and made like the shepherd - get the flock out of there! The wind, roughly from the west was just as horrible on the descent. Neither of us felt like hanging about so we made good progress until we could get out of the worst of the blow. The rest of the walk back to the campers was largely uneventful. Well, apart from being shown the new bothy by two dodgy looking estate workers.