📌 Bridge of Orchy, Argyll & Bute
★★★★
Few people travelling north towards Glen Coe can fail to notice the majestic cone of Beinn Dòrain, dominating views from both the A82 and the West Highland Line beyond Tyndrum. Reaching the summit from this direction would surely be an exhausting slog, but our route (the normal route) tackles the hill from its less intimidating, western aspect, starting at Bridge of Orchy whether your mode of transport is by road or rail. Waterfalls line the eroded ascent (leave the path to get the best views of these) to a bealach adorned with large cairn and lochan. From here it’s a straightforward tramp south to the true summit, which is a few hundred metres beyond the false summit of Carn Sasunnaich (Englishman’s cairn), which seems to have been named in an attempt to mock southerners’ navigational skills. A second Munro, Beinn an Dothaidh, can easily be added on the other side of the bealach. Pathless sections and a little bog will be encountered on the way up this one, but the ground drops away beyond the summit to give superlative views of Rannoch Moor and the Black Mount range, particularly from the unnamed, western top.
📷 Chronological photo guide
Beinn Dothaidh (left) & Beinn Dòrain (right) from Bridge of Orchy station 
Waterfall on the Allt Coire an Dòthaidh 
Approaching Coire an Dòthaidh 
Coire an Dòthaidh 
Looking back from the bealach 
Lochan at the bealach 
Ascending Beinn Dòrain from the bealach 
Looking back into Coire an Dòthaidh 
Sheep 
Coire a’ Ghabhalach 
Beinn an Dothaidh from the ascent of Beinn Dòrain 
Gleann Achadh-innis Chailein from near Carn Sasunnaich 
Beinn Dòrain 
Beinn Dòrain 
View east to Loch Lyon 
View west to Glen Orchy 
Approaching Beinn an Dothaidh 
Pathless section on ascent 
Beinn an Dothaidh summit 
View from Beinn an Dothaidh’s west top 
View from Beinn an Dothaidh’s west top 
Beinn Dòrain from the A82 to the south
🌍 Location
📌 Start / finish on A82 at Bridge of Orchy
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NN 297395
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 56.516894,-4.769420
🚆🚌 Bridge of Orchy
🚗 Car park
📝 Key info
▶ 14 km / 9 mi | ▲ 1230 m | ⌛ 6.5-7.5 hr
Features: △ Beinn Dòrain (1076 m, Munro); △ Beinn an Dothaidh (1004 m, Munro)
⬤ Tough | Reasonable paths for vast majority of the route, sometimes eroded, steep and rough. Some pathless and boggy sections on Beinn an Dothaidh.
Download file for GPS➡️ Irregular walk shape: start – pass under railway at Bridge of Orchy station – Coire an Dòthaidh – bealach between the two Munros – Carn Sasunnaich – Beinn Dòrain – return to bealach – Beinn an Dothaidh true summit – Beinn an Dothaidh west top – return to bealach – start by outward route
🥾 On our last visit
Wildlife: Cuckoo heard from the car park; chickens in Bridge of Orchy, sheep and lambs.
Weather: Often sunny with some high cloud sheets; temperatures rising to mid teens at the base but a chilly wind at times.
May 2019
