Photographs, route description and map of Mount Keen in the Eastern Highlands of Scotland

Mount Keen, 3081ft, 939m, Scotland’s most easterly Munro, is the highest point on the broad ‘Mounth Keen’ that separates Glen Tanar on Deeside and Glen Esk in Angus. The hill has been described as ‘ideally suited for a relaxed outing...’ but in winter especially it’s worth remembering that the summit is a long way from the houses in lower Glen Tanar to the north and from Invermarke to the south.
Glen Tanar lies south-west of Aboyne, where a public road runs to Glen Tanar House and the estate visitor centre.
From a car park, paths and tracks follow the Water of Tanar through the pine woods and out onto open moorland beyond the Half Way Hut.
The track continues in a more southerly direction beyond the old farm house at Etnach and passes the mined Shiel of Glentanar that was burned down in 1992.
Just before the track sweeps round to the remains of the Shiel, a separate track crosses the river via a new bridge, and climbs the north-west ridge of Mount Keen.
Just beyond, above the rocky hollow known locally as the ‘korlach’, ( the OS call it Corrach for some reason ), another path forks to the left to wind up to Mount Keen’s stony summit.

ROUTE PLANNER

Map: OS 1:50,000 Landranger sheet 44 ( Ballater & Glen Clova ), Hanleys Superwalker, Cairngorms & Lochnagar
Start/finish: Car park near Glen Tanar House ( GR: NO480966 )
Distance: About 16 miles / 28km
Approx Time: 6-8 hours

Route:
From the car park cross the bridge, turn right and follow the marked footpath to ‘The Mounth road to Glen Eek’.
After a while another sign points to the right and this path runs through the pinewoods beside the Water of Tanar for about 5km.
Leave the woods for the open glen, crossing the river twice.
At the third crossing ( GR: NO 407896 ) over a new bridge, ascend the Mounth Road by a broad track.
Diverge SE up the path to Mount Keen’s summit.
Return by the same route.