I climbed this most easterly Munro on 6 April 2011, walking from Glen Tanar, its northern approach. All those years later, I remember that walk as uninspiring and tiring.
This time, I took the route from Glen Esk, which was significantly shorter and, as it turned out, much more captivating. It offered a greater variety of landscapes to enjoy. The weather cooperated wonderfully as well. Cloud cover obscured the summit for part of the morning, but during the final leg of my hike up, the mist lifted in an unusual way. It dropped suddenly, revealing a stunning sea of clouds sparkling in the sunshine, with distant high peaks rising above it. The most notable of these was the Lochnagar range.
The unusual cloud cover persisted as I descended. I never actually walked through the mist, but soon found myself underneath the clouds. It appeared to be a relatively thin yet widespread layer of clouds, suspended at a certain altitude and not reaching the ground. Overall, the overcast weather was beneficial for comfort while trekking; it was unseasonably hot when I was exposed to the sun at the summit.
