St Andrews Baptist Church

Fellowship Walk to Glen Esk / Mt Keen.

Date 31st August 2013

Travel

Glen Esk is one of the more northerly Angus glens. It is 60 miles from St Andrews and takes about 90 minutes to get there. We will travel by car. Please let Ken Cochran know if you need transport or can offer transport to someone. We will depart at 9 A.M. from the church building on South Street; direction sheets will be available.

Please bring sturdy shoes or walking boots, and clothing for changeable weather especially if you are taking walking Option 2 – to the top of Mt Keen. Please also bring a packed lunch and some extra food for snacking/sharing/unforeseen circumstances.

There is a car park at the top end of the Glen Esk road at Auchronie. We will meet there and begin our walk at 11 A.M.

Walking Options

  1. The first part of the Walk is to the Queen’s Well. This will take about an hour. The walk goes along the left bank of the River Mark and has a good path with only slight up-hill tendency. The Queen’s Well commemorates Queen Victoria’s visit there, and is marked by a large granite crown. We will all have lunch together here. After lunch we will split into three groups, one group will return to the cars for an early return home or afternoon tea at the guest house in Auchronie.
  2. Optional Ascent of Mt Keen - From the Queen’s well a path ascends to the north to the top of Mt Keen. At 939 metres, Mt Keen is the most easterly Munro in Scotland. The path is clearly marked and not very steep. It is a steady climb to the top and the ascent will take about two hours. The descent will take about an hour and a half; and a further hour back to the car park from the Queen’s Well.
  3. Optional Walk to Balnamoon’s Cave – This is an easier walk than ascending Mt Keen and gives good walking through and views of the glaciated glen. From Queens Well a path runs North West to Balnamoon’s Cave. Legend has it that a Jacobite sheltered in this cave to hide from government forces after Culloden. The cave has a narrow entrance that opens to a much larger interior. Fording of the river may be required.

Each optional walk will have a leader to help with guidance and ensure everyone returns safely to the cars. We will meet up again at the car park for the drive back to St Andrews. Everyone is likely to be back in St Andrews by about 6:30 PM