Another Orchy Double - Dorain & Dothaidh
Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 11:54 amFriday night was spent with members of my group viewing films from the Banff Mountain Film Festival
http://www.banff-uk.com/
Karen, a new member, would accompany me Saturday to tackle the DDs. At first i was wondering about her walking fitness but she did a marathon last Oct - i may struggle to keep up with her
We met at the Little Chef just over the Erskine Bridge, got the gear in my car and headed for Orchy.
At 9.30am we started the walk. Weather forecast was for low level clouds - clearing by the afternoon.
MWIS didn't dissapoint as we crossed under the pass of the railway station to follow the path to the Bealach seperating the DDs - the cloud was evident.
Conditions underfoot very solid and not the muddy terrain i was dreading. Getting to the bealach was awkward due to loose rocks covered in ice - due care was given.
At the bealach we headed south to Dorain - we decided against the crampons, for now.
Looking North to Dothaidh
The path ahead was not clear but navigation was fairly straightforward - i had taking a reading from the cairn at the bealach. Higher up it was snow and mist - very dramatic
It was great fun ascending to this summit which we reached in 2hr 45m. We did pass a large cairn 200m before the true summit - people should not mistake this for the actual summit. Took a few photos and just as we sat down for lunch the sun shone through the cloud
....no wind and sunshine - bliss.
It was now a case of retracing our steps to the bealach where we would start the steeper ascent of Dothaidh.
Looking South to Dorain
Just before we reached the bealach the cloud cleared and presented stunning views over to the blackmount estate and hills....
zoomed
Looking North we could see our next target, Dothaidh, with its 3 tops.
We reached the bealach and headed NE then E to reach our first top
Looking back to Dorain
zoomed - you can make out the 2 cairns of Dorain
It wasn't long till i reached the south summit - Karen was only 5 mins behind
We didn't hang around and made our way to the true East summit
Karen was having crampon trouble so i headed myself to the western summit. I met some climbers here who where just topping out from doing the North face of Dothaidh
And the final photo of the day....
I soon caught up with Karen and we made our way back to the car - taken care in the tricky underfoot conditions.
When at the train station mountain rescue asked if i had seen a guy with a busted leg? I informed him i had seen 4 guys behind me who seemed to be taken the wrong path down above crags. It wasn't long till the helicopter was flying overhead - i hope it wasn't too serious.
Karen and i stopped at the Drovers Inn for a well earned pint
A great day out and well done to Karen for bagging her 4th and 5th Munro - poor lassie has the bug now
http://www.banff-uk.com/
Karen, a new member, would accompany me Saturday to tackle the DDs. At first i was wondering about her walking fitness but she did a marathon last Oct - i may struggle to keep up with her
We met at the Little Chef just over the Erskine Bridge, got the gear in my car and headed for Orchy.
At 9.30am we started the walk. Weather forecast was for low level clouds - clearing by the afternoon.
MWIS didn't dissapoint as we crossed under the pass of the railway station to follow the path to the Bealach seperating the DDs - the cloud was evident.
Conditions underfoot very solid and not the muddy terrain i was dreading. Getting to the bealach was awkward due to loose rocks covered in ice - due care was given.
At the bealach we headed south to Dorain - we decided against the crampons, for now.
Looking North to Dothaidh
The path ahead was not clear but navigation was fairly straightforward - i had taking a reading from the cairn at the bealach. Higher up it was snow and mist - very dramatic
It was great fun ascending to this summit which we reached in 2hr 45m. We did pass a large cairn 200m before the true summit - people should not mistake this for the actual summit. Took a few photos and just as we sat down for lunch the sun shone through the cloud
....no wind and sunshine - bliss.It was now a case of retracing our steps to the bealach where we would start the steeper ascent of Dothaidh.
Looking South to Dorain
Just before we reached the bealach the cloud cleared and presented stunning views over to the blackmount estate and hills....
zoomed
Looking North we could see our next target, Dothaidh, with its 3 tops.
We reached the bealach and headed NE then E to reach our first top
Looking back to Dorain
zoomed - you can make out the 2 cairns of Dorain
It wasn't long till i reached the south summit - Karen was only 5 mins behind
We didn't hang around and made our way to the true East summit
Karen was having crampon trouble so i headed myself to the western summit. I met some climbers here who where just topping out from doing the North face of Dothaidh
And the final photo of the day....
I soon caught up with Karen and we made our way back to the car - taken care in the tricky underfoot conditions.
When at the train station mountain rescue asked if i had seen a guy with a busted leg? I informed him i had seen 4 guys behind me who seemed to be taken the wrong path down above crags. It wasn't long till the helicopter was flying overhead - i hope it wasn't too serious.
Karen and i stopped at the Drovers Inn for a well earned pint
A great day out and well done to Karen for bagging her 4th and 5th Munro - poor lassie has the bug now
