Driesh
Driesh is a mountain in the southern Cairngorms of Scotland, standing at 947 metres (3,107 feet) above sea level. It is classified as a Munro, the term given to Scottish mountains exceeding 3,000 feet, and sits within the Mounth range of hills that forms the high plateau country between Angus and Deeside. The mountain is one of a natural pairing with its near neighbour Mayar, and the two are almost invariably climbed together on the same day outing. Driesh itself takes its name from the Gaelic word for bramble or briar, a humble botanical origin for a hill of considerable grandeur. It sits above the head of Glen Clova, one of the most scenic and well-loved of the Angus glens, and draws hillwalkers in considerable numbers as one of the more accessible Munros in this part of Scotland.
The history of the area around Driesh is interwoven with the pastoral traditions of the Angus glens, where for centuries drovers moved cattle across the high plateaux from Deeside into the lowlands. The Mounth passes, of which several cross the broad upland ridges in this region, were ancient routes used by travellers long before roads made such journeys easier. The hill itself carries no particular dramatic historical event or battle legend attached to its summit, but the glen below has been shaped by the Highland Clearances and the later conversion of much of the land to grouse moors and deer forest. Queen Victoria travelled through the neighbouring glens during her Balmoral years, and the wider area became romanticised as a landscape of wild Highland character during the Victorian era, a reputation Glen Clova and the hills above it still maintain.
The physical experience of Driesh is one of sustained upland walking rather than dramatic scrambling. The usual route from the Glen Clova Hotel at the road end follows a well-worn path up through forestry plantations before emerging onto open moorland. The upper slopes are broad and grassy, typifying the rounded Mounth plateau, and the summit itself is marked by a cairn with expansive views that on a clear day extend northward toward the high Cairngorms, southward across the Angus farmlands to the distant glint of the North Sea, and westward toward the Ben Lawers range in Perthshire. The ground underfoot alternates between heather, peat bog, and short grassy turf. In summer the air carries the sweet scent of heather and peat; in winter the plateau becomes a serious Arctic environment demanding full winter equipment and navigation skills.
Surrounding Driesh on all sides is a landscape of powerful Highland character. To the south, Glen Clova cuts deep into the hills, its steep valley sides clothed in mixed woodland and rough pasture. Glen Doll, the upper arm of the glen, runs directly below the mountain's western flank and contains an important Ranger Base operated by NatureScot, a starting point for many hill routes. The Corrie Fee National Nature Reserve lies just to the west, a spectacular hanging corrie with geological and botanical significance. The plateau connecting Driesh to Mayar encompasses blanket bog supporting rare upland plants and invertebrates. Red deer are common across the higher ground, and mountain hares in their white winter coats are a frequent sight on the plateau in colder months.
For visitors, access to Driesh begins at the end of the public road in Glen Clova, where the Glen Clova Hotel provides the nearest services including accommodation and a bar. There is a car park at the Glen Doll Ranger Base slightly further up the glen, and this is the most common starting point for the Driesh and Mayar circuit. The walk is typically graded as a moderate to strenuous day route of around 14 kilometres with approximately 800 metres of ascent. No technical equipment is needed in summer, but hillwalking boots, waterproofs, and navigational competence are essential given how quickly conditions can deteriorate on the plateau. The nearest town with full amenities is Kirriemuir, about 20 kilometres to the south, and Dundee lies around 35 kilometres away. Public transport to the glen is very limited, making a car the practical necessity for most visitors.
The best time to visit Driesh is from late spring through to early autumn, when the days are long, the paths are drier, and the views at their most expansive. Late August and early September bring the heather into full purple bloom, transforming the moorland into a striking display of colour. Winter ascents are possible and rewarding for experienced mountaineers equipped with crampons and ice axes, as the plateau can hold hard snow and ice well into spring. The mountain lies within the Cairngorms National Park, the largest national park in the United Kingdom by area, which affords it a degree of landscape protection. One small but telling detail known to devotees of Scottish hill literature is that Driesh and its surrounding glens feature in the walking writings of various twentieth century Scots outdoor writers who celebrated the Angus glens as underrated gems overshadowed by the more famous Cairngorms further north, a reputation this quiet, rewarding hill is still quietly in the process of correcting.