'Bad' timing on Beinn Dorain & Beinn an Dothaidh

[roscoT]

beinn dorain and co.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

Billy Connolly once said "in Scotland there is no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes". The Big Yin got it spot on there, and this was reflected in our day of 'bad' luck yesterday (although I should point out it was not me who had the wrong clothes). These two still provided a good varied leg stretch, and would consider repeating when a view was guaranteed.

Anyway, we needed a wee warm up for Torridon next week and decided Saturday was the better of the two weekend days for weather - Beinn Dorain and her sister from Bridge of Orchy were selected after it appeared there would be a nice window of weather and visibility in the afternoon. Picked up Euan in Glasgow at 9 and we were at the hotel car park for 11, rain teeming down and [my] waterproofs applied. The forecast at this point did not seem to be entirely accurate. That said, once under the railway and on to the path, we could at least almost see the summit of Dorain poking out of the clouds.

P1000308 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

The path is easy to drift from (just keep to the right of the burn), and is eroded and boggy in parts, but pleasant enough as views over Loch Tulla and Glen Orchy open up. It was warm and humid coming up here, but we remained positive the clag would clear higher up, at least by the time we got to the bealach, which at this point was still completely shrouded.

P1000315 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr
P1000313 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

After about 45 minutes we got to the bottom of the corrie to stop for a bite to eat and respite for sweat-covered backs, the clag was apparently again clearing, although the swirling mosts still gave the place an almost mystical and eerie feel.

P1000318 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr
P1000319 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr
P1000321 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

A bit of arsing about on a boulder gave rise to one of the most hilarious and best photos/album covers I have ever taken. Captions on a postcard please....
P1000323 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

There are some really boggy sections coming up here, with Euan soon cursing not bringing his waterproofs or goretex boots. There is a steepish boulder-strewn climb to the bealach, which has a small lochan and attractive waterfall a few hundred metres beyond. Loch lyon can be seen peeping out to the right of the steep looking Beinn a'Chuirn. The choice is then to go right for Beinn Dorain or left for Beinn an Dothaidh. Another couple of guys we met suggested the latter was steeper (which is not true as it turned out), so we opted for that. Right on cue, the cloud came in to meet us and started dumping its load.

P1000325 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr
P1000326 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr
P1000327 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

We started climbing into the cloud northeast towards the eastern (true) summit of Beinn an Dothaidh. Not much to report at all here as we couldn't see a thing. We left the path at some point and trudged up through bog. Our navigation skills were seriously called into question here (thank god for GPS), as can be seen from the screenshot of our route (in red) against the actual path (blue) below.

P1000328 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

Were we drunk?

Eventually we found the summit and took the obligatory photos. Would have stopped here for lunch were it not so miserable, so decided to head back to the bealach via the eastern summit - again not a straightforward undertaking in the fog.

P1000329 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr
P1000331 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

Once back, we traversed east over to the waterfalls (well worth the detour) to have lunch, still positive the blue skies would soon appear.

P1000334 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr
P1000335 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr
P1000336 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr
P1000338 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr
P1000339 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr
P1000341 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

The clouds didn't even allow us to finish our lunch before their next deluge, and after 10 minutes of trying and failing to find shelter, we decided there was nothing else for it than to begin the climb up Beinn Dorain. Met quite a few people coming down, including a German man who in no way understood my accent, and all confirmed there was nothing to see further up. Oh well. The climb was actually quite nice though up the well-defined path once the rain stopped, with some interesting views through the cloud.

P1000345 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr
P1000347 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

The large 'Englishman's Cairn' (ha!) is eventually reached, and after another 500m or so, the summit of Beinn Dorain. We saw a few hawks enjoying the thermals lower down, and could almost make out the A82 and valley below, but after more rain and failed shelter attempts, we finally admitted defeat and headed back down.

P1000349 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr
P1000351 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr
P1000353 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

The trudge back down to the bealach was a bit better, with skies soon clearing and a feeling of almost being 'above the clouds' (not quite). Euan's feet were soaked through by this point, so made some decent time back to the hotel and car, by which time, surprise surprise, there were more sustained blue skies and clear summits, as the pictures show. So a case of bad timing, however still a good day out, and another 2 ticked off. Looking forward to a much stiffer test of stamina next week fingers crossed for 'good' weather and correct clothing.

P1000358 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr
P1000362 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr
P1000364 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr
P1000366 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr
P1000369 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr
P1000370 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr
P1000371 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr
P1000373 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr
P1000375 by Ross Thomson, on Flickr

[goth_angel]

At least you got them done in one. We did Dorain by train years ago and had to bail out of doing Dothaidh due to worries about missing the return train. Finally did it earlier this year and the path has definitely deteriorated in the meantime.

[roscoT]

At least you got them done in one. We did Dorain by train years ago and had to bail out of doing Dothaidh due to worries about missing the return train. Finally did it earlier this year and the path has definitely deteriorated in the meantime.

Good on you for going back though. It's a nice wee train station, can imagine quite a nice journey too. What time was the last train? Yeah the path is certainly not in the best shape, seemed to have been churned up a lot by flooding since the stones were originally put down.

[teaandpies]

I admit to be a good weather only walker but this looks like a good weather only walk

Nice report. A few more to come over the next couple of weeks? I look forward to catch them.

[simon-b]

The view of these two in the clag from near the station looks all too familiar, rosco. As does your track on Dothaidh, not the easiest summit for navigation. B of O is a nice station, I went from there to Corrour and back yesterday.

[roscoT]

I admit to be a good weather only walker but this looks like a good weather only walk

Nice report. A few more to come over the next couple of weeks? I look forward to catch them.

Haha aye very good! To be frank, I've been really lucky with the weather this year so far, so this had been coming!

Yeah, Torridon on Friday - cannae wait! Hoping to do Alligin, Eighe and ;ossibly Liathach, although we will see how the weather and my legs hold up! Then we will do the long-awaited Chabhair?

The view of these two in the clag from near the station looks all too familiar, rosco. As does your track on Dothaidh, not the easiest summit for navigation. B of O is a nice station, I went from there to Corrour and back yesterday.

Yeah a real shame about the views, as I see from other reports when it's clear they are wonderful - maybe another time. The problem I think we had with Dothaidh (apart from lack of experience) is there are no distingushing features, it's a bit of a kind of broad lump!

Would quite like to do a peak or two via train, just for something different. Any you would recommend for a beginner?

[simon-b]

Would quite like to do a peak or two via train, just for something different. Any you would recommend for a beginner?

Beinn na Lap from Corrour is the obvious one, although that would be a lot easier than the two you've just done, had you taken the train to Bridge of Orchy. The difference is there is no other mode of transport from Corrour. The two I did yesterday were Carn Dearg and Sgor Gaibhre - not difficult, but one or two navigational challenges on Carn Dearg in the mist.

[roscoT]

Beinn na Lap from Corrour is the obvious one, although that would be a lot easier than the two you've just done, had you taken the train to Bridge of Orchy. The difference is there is no other mode of transport from Corrour. The two I did yesterday were Carn Dearg and Sgor Gaibhre - not difficult, but one or two navigational challenges on Carn Dearg in the mist.[/quote]

Thanks Simon, sounds good. Will look into these