Mount Keen

(Mountain Biking Mount Keen from Glen Esk) (ride date: 03.08.07)

You can approach Mount Keen from two directions - either from Glen Tanar in the North or from Glen Esk in the South. The latter gives you almost a 100% bike-able ascent and descent (if you are fit enough), whereas the ascent from glen tanar is much steeper.  the route description is from Glen Esk

Time - - 2-2.5 hours  (Ascent 1 hour 30mins - descent 35 mins) (from Inveresk car park)

Distance - 10 miles (round trip)

Height attained - 700 metres (2300 feet)

I have been meaning to try this route for ages - but the thought of dragging myself and my bike up a Munro, plus the remoteness of it - in terms of the drive - had thus far put me off. But one Friday afternoon with a half day in the afternoon off work, I headed straight from work and finally got it done - and I wasn't disappointed.

After my recent excursion up Glas tulaichaean, I had kind of got the bug for going up high mountains on my bike, and as Mount Keen is probably the Munro with the most mentions on mountain biking websites and books it was a natural choice for my next challenge.  Starting at the Inveresk car park I headed up the valley along a nice wide landrover track, up towards the queens well, and the Glen Mark lodge. The first few miles were flat and very dramatic with the rocky outcrops of "hard hill"  and the valley as it sweeps round, on your left. From early on you can see the path that is going to take you up the mountain as it slithers up the hill after the lodge.

Up to this point its easy going - past the lodge you ford a stream - nothing to difficult, but wet feet already, and start the climb. It doesn't seem to bad at first as it twists and turns up the hill. The one good thing is that it is all up from this point - every inch you go up is an inch closer to the summit - there are no undulations. The track is a bit loose with deep gravel in places which makes coming down harder - but is for the most part bike able.

As you pass 650 metres high there is a cairn and narrow track to your right - ignore this and wait until you see a bight orange  tango path which you cant miss going off to your right. This path leads to the summit (there is one fork after this point - take the right fork in the path. Its a bit bleak and feels like Moor land at this point, There a few manmade rock steps to climb - but this marks the last 5-10 minutes as you climb to the summit.  The summit beckons!

Coming down demands a little care - there are rock steps from the summit - its perfectly possible to ride them - if you aren't already knackered, tired and cold and wet. Needless to say I was all of the latter and walked them. Once on the tango trail you then have drainage ditches to contend with - irritating on the way up, but hard work on the way down - a bit like mountain a kerb every 20 metres. Once you hit the main track down its fast, but there are sections of loose stone. Keep the weight back and don't use the front brake otherwise you end up burying the front wheel in the path.

its disappointingly fast just how quick you get down the valley floor - all the climbing....and suddenly its all over. However there is a great satisfaction in overtaking the walkers you passed as you went up the hill and they were descending.

On the way up I passed a  walker who, as he walked down the hill, and i took a breather up the hill by walking instead of cycling  made the comment "oh I thought the idea was to ride the bike!" (ha bloody ha"). However as I passed him again on my descent it was a real pleasure to give him a wave as he trudged to the car.