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This photo was taken one summer a few years ago, on the way up the A82 to tackle Curved Ridge. It's the image I always have in my mind of Beinn Dorain.
Glencoe 2005 020 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
This TR is about less balmy weather conditions! The MWIS forecast said there would be "70mph easterly winds" and "the mountains are in full winter mode".
I set off from the Bridge of Orchy car park. Ahead, a gap in the clouds revealed Coire an Dothaidh. This was the last photo I took for a while, as there was a snowstorm and thick clag for the next few hours.
IMG_0001 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
From the bealach, the path south to Beinn Dorain was hidden under new snow and sastrugi, but navigation by compass along the ridge was fairly easy until I got past Carn Sassunaich.
Visibility was very poor at this point with lots of spindrift. I could make out a downward slope, as expected, due south of the Sassunaich cairn. However it didn't feel quite right somehow. I tested the snow going down into this dip with my poles: it was steeper and deeper than expected.
A close look at the map showed that this dip was in fact the funnel of Feadan Garbh, and that I needed to go a few paces west from Carn Sassunaich to find the continuation ridge. After some wading through deep powder I reached an upward slope and the summit cairn - the visibility improved slightly, so I managed to get a photo of the cairn.
IMG_0002 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
The wind strengthened again, and all my footsteps back to the bealach had already vanished, but finding the way was OK. At the bealach the cloud lifted, just for a few seconds, and I tried a selfie.
IMG_0003 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
I was thinking about Beinn an Dothaidh. The map showed that the upper part of the mountain takes the form of a wide saucer shape, tilted south towards the bealach, with three summits at different places on the saucer rim.
My problem was that, with no path visible, it would be hard to know exactly where I was on the slope above the bealach, in order to get a compass bearing across the featureless saucer to lead me to the main 1004m summit.
Instead, I decided to follow the ridgeline of the saucer rim clockwise. That way, I would definitely come at some point to the main summit.
But as I climbed, the unexpected happened. The clouds opened - this is looking down Glen Orchy.
IMG_0004 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
I quickly headed east and managed to glimpse the view towards Beinn nam Fuaran and upper Glen Lyon. The north-west ridge of Beinn Heasgarnich is just about visible against the dark sky, directly above Loch Lyon.
IMG_0005 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
And then I raced back west to the saucer rim again, and got this shot of the Blackmount, with Beinn Toaig and Stob a'Choire Odhair catching the sun, and part of Loch Tulla.
IMG_0006 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
From that point, I looked up towards the west summit of Beinn an Dothaidh and got this photo just before the cloud closed in again.
IMG_0007 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
There was a nasty squall with lots of lumps of ice in the spindrift.
But, as if on cue, the squall eased and the clag blew away, just as I got near the west summit. A cairn became visible on the edge of the northern cliffs.
IMG_0008 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
There was a larger cairn on an outcrop.
IMG_0009 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
And I had a brief view from the edge of the northern cliffs towards Beinn Achaladair.
IMG_0010 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
The views were visible for about one minute, then there was another blast of bad weather and dense clag as I walked along the undulating ridge to the main 1004m summit.
At first, I thought this would be the only view I would get at the summit cairn...
IMG_0011 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
But then, obligingly, the wind eased and the clouds opened again.
IMG_0011a by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
I quickly took as many photos as I could. This is looking back south to Beinn Dorain.
IMG_0012 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
East to Beinn a'Chuirn/Beinn Mhanach
IMG_0012a by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
South-east to Beinn nam Fuaran and a glimpse of Loch Lyon.
IMG_0012b by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
North-east to Beinn Achaladair and Rannoch Moor
IMG_0013 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Zoomed photo of the streamlets on Beinn Achaladair
IMG_0014 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Of course, the clouds again closed in - but this time, I knew my exact location. So I could easily navigate on a compass bearing across the saucer towards the bealach.
Just above the bealach, the cloud cleared yet again - this time, there was more of a respite.
Looking south-west across the saucer
IMG_0015 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Beinn Dorain
IMG_0016 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
The hills west of Glen Lochay, including Cam Chreag, Beinn Challum and Beinn a' Chaisteil beyond the eastern shoulder of Beinn Dorain
IMG_0017 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
The bealach, and a hint of sunshine
IMG_0018 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
West from the bealach - Glas Bheinn Mhor, Stob Coir'an Albannaich, Meall nan Eun and Loch Dochard
IMG_0018a by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
The descent down Coire an Dothaidh to Bridge of Orchy was an unexpected delight. The sun had come out and I noticed the beautiful Allt Coire an Dothaidh glittering on my right.
IMG_2496 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
I left the slippery and unattractive path and went over to look at the stream.
IMG_2497 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
I found a series of gorgeous waterfalls, just a few yards from the path.
IMG_0019 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
IMG_2499 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Beinn Udlaidh and its quartzite dyke
IMG_2490 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
There was no way I was going back to that path!
Here are some photos from my "alternative route" back to Bridge of Orchy, along the north bank of Allt Coire an Dothaidh - lots and lots more waterfalls... some of them in a deep slot-like canyon.
IMG_2508 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
IMG_2527 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
IMG_2516 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
IMG_2509 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
Beinn Odhar from where the path crosses the West Highland Way.
IMG_2566 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
A last look back up at Coire an Dothaidh.
IMG_2525 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
In Bridge of Orchy village.
IMG_2575 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
IMG_2578 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr
The Highlands have many magnificent sights, here is one of them.
IMG_2580 by
Half Man Half Titanium, on Flickr