After the long day and exertions of Ben Cruachan we wanted a something a little easier for our last day in Scotland (easier is a relative term in Scottish winter conditions)
The weather was stunning and the forecast settled and we agreed on Ben Dorain. Its sits directly above the hotel (no need for any driving) and as its very popular, we guessed it might have a trail stomped out through the deep snow.
The ground was frosty but the sun warm as we started out for the long climb through Coire and Dothaidh up to the ridge.
The views out over the south-west highlands was magnificent.
Other than one short steep stretch where the party ahead of us had been sliding about on the snow and obliterated the trail (thanks!) it was easy going to the col.
From there it was a winter wonderland!
Our guess was correct and there was a deep and compacted trail through the snow that made the walk along the surprisingly long ridge an absolute delight.
TBF with Beinn an Dothaidh behind.
Ben Dorain looks fairly simple in terms of its topography from afar. On closer inspection it has a long ridge with several small spurs and corries/depressions holding deep snow. It would have been a hard work breaking trail up here the day before.
With this excellent trail (compacted and frozen so micro-spikes were very handy) we just strolled to the top,.
As we climbed the views just got better and better. Mountains as far as the eye could see, interspersed with lower clouds.
Glen Orchy and Ben Cruachan, our mountain from the previous day.
A look along the long ridge to the top.
I’ve been up here a couple of times before, both in dense cloud. When you arrive on the subsidiary top of Carn Sassunaich, you’d have to check the map closely to realise that despite the massive cairn, its not actually the highest point, seen here beyond. Indeed on my first visit I’m not 100% sure I did go to main top!
Its a nice albeit short ridge across to the summit.
Here’s Danish Matt approaching the final climb.
And a team photo (minus me) on the summit.
Its pretty steep on all sides so the views are airy and spectacular, well at least I know that now having been to the top on a clear day at last.
We lingered on the top for an extended lunch and spent a while wandering about and taking in the amazing vistas.
East over towards Glen Lyon, Glen Lochay and the Ben Lawers range.
Panorama looking east.
And one looking west.
The edge that faces west is quite dramatic looking out over Glen Orchy and Loch Tulla.
Very much satisfied with our lot and our choice of summit we began the route down. Summit selfie (well a Carn Sassunaich selfie anyway).
The walk down was as much a delight as the walk up as the sun began lower and change the lighting.
We felt we had enough time to tackle Beinn an Dothaidh. It was a tougher climb as its less popular and the trail hadn’t be stamped out quite as well. Looking back to Beinn Dorain from the way up.
Well worth the extra effort as the view over Rannoch Moor to Lochaber and Ben Nevis (close to the left edge of the skyline in the above photo) is stupendous
There had been a thin veil of cirrus cloud all day and as the sun went down it lit those clouds up to dramatic effect.
Happy lads on the summit.
Highest point of Beinn an Dothaidh.
One of its other summit points and the best one for views.
The light was fading fast and we had to head down. The temperature was dropping fast and its no place to get caught out in the dark.
Magificent skies as we headed down to the hotel.
Sunset over the the south west highlands.
One final treat with a period of pink Alpenglow as the sun finally set for the day.
Map of the route – well, sort of. Just ignore the leg off to the north (from a previous trip), I couldn’t be bothered to do an up to date version.
The walk ended on a bit of a downer. Danish Matt slipped over within sight of the hotel and looked in a good deal of pain, saying he felt something “go”. A visit to hospital the next day confirmed he’s broken a bone in his foot. In one way unlucky that it happened so close to the end of the walk, but look another way and lucky it didn’t happen much higher up where the situation would have been much more serious.
Day two and another very mixed and uncertain forecast. It looked like we were in for a morning spell of rain with a chance of some brightness and possibly sunshine after lunch.
A small group of intrepid mountaineers headed out leaving it a little later to start in the dry and hopefully time our arrival on the summit with a decent break in the weather.
Our plan was to take in the two Munros above the hotel, Beinn Dorain and Beinn an Dothaidh. We’d left a car at the end of Glen Achaladair in the hope of making something of a circuit.
We’d only been walking a few minutes when the heavy rain we’d seen on the satellite images arrived and it continued for most of the climb to the col.
Disappointingly, despite some very brief glimpses of the sun making us think it might be about to clear, the long climb along Beinn Dorain’s north ridge was in cloud and it was cold, windy and damp.
We passed over the extra top of Carn Sassunaich reminding me the weather was exactly like this on my first ascent many years ago. Indeed as we walked the short distance to the main summit it had me thinking that maybe I’d never actually been to the summit as I don’t remember there being two distinct summits. Mind you it was 30 years ago!
A summit shot and the non-expansive views!
We trudged and slid down, actually picking up a couple of nice glissades to add some fun to the day. We stopped for some food and while we did the first glimpses of sun were seen and then almost by magic it did clear!
Blue sky and some sunshine combined with some superb cloud effects and spirits were lifted.
We were now much more hopeful of a summit view from Beinn an Dothaidh.
Looking back to Beinn Dorain and our ascent route.
What was clear was just how much deep snow remained in the sheltered north facing corries, here looking into Core Leacach and Core Lochain. It looked like a great ski descent other than the fact you’d have had to boot-pack in a very long way to get to it!
TJS and TBF decided they had had enough for one day and went down while the rest of us headed to the second summit. Its a fairly easy plod (made more difficult for me by following the steps of two people 6 inches taller than me breaking trail!)
When we reached the top the views were magnificent including some spectacular cornices.
Summit selfie that really doesn’t do justice to just how windy it was.
View out over Rannoch Moor.
More spectacular cornices on the highest point.
Looking back across the summit plateau.
It wasn’t a day to hang around and the light was already starting to fade so, pleased with our summit views we started down. Initially trying to stay away from the edges and cornices but we seemed to be heading too far east. Turns out the “edge” we were looking at was a false cornice and we were a couple of hundred yards away. Eager to avoid slippery grass I found some decent snow slopes, whipped out the axe, and managed a pretty decent glissade down to the col. Best one I’ve done in many years.
Our route down was Coire Achaladair. Its upper reaches wonderfully wild and rocky.
Towered over by the cliffs of Beinn an Dothaidh.
And Beinn Achaladair.
Views out to a distant Lochaber, The Mamores and Ben Nevis.
Sadly the lower part of the glen is long, boggy and somewhat tedious. Not helped by the estate owners directing you away from the main track onto a “path” that was little more than swamp. Not what was needed at the end of a long day. If I have to do this glen again then I’ll ignore that “recommendation” and just head straight to the main track. Still not to spoil a fantastic and challenging day in the mountains.
A short post entirely in proportion to the amount of time we spent outdoors.
The forecast was biblically bad. Heavy rain from the previous night, all through the day and into the following night. Not a day for high mountains (although a couple mad fools took on a Corbett and got a soaking). We opted for a short walk around Glen Orchy just to make sure we had some fresh air and exercise.
The rain was as heavy and persistent as promised “near-incessant rain almost everywhere” was the MWIS forecast) That at least meant that the waterfalls on the the River Orchy were very impressive (the one above is the Eas Urchaidh). We kept the good humour going as best we could but in all honesty it was as miserable a day as I’ve been out in since my Dartmoor soaking a couple of years back.
We had a plan to follow an easy forest trail into the Caledonian Pine Forest Reserve around a lake, and back down to the Glen. We had one very soggy river crossing and then came across this ford on the Allt Coire Thoraidh!
I imagine in normal weather it would be a rock hop across. Today it was completely impassable and had you fallen in you would have been very lucky to survive. We poked around for a bit looking for anywhere to cross but it was pretty obvious our route for the day was over. On the way back the soggy crossing we’d managed before was now wider and wetter. At least everyone’s feet were equally wet!
We walked up this track a couple of years back in the Beast from the East, walking alongside the Allt Broighleachan. I barely remember it but today it was a deafening torrent!
Back at the car the Orchy had risen several more feet while we’d been out. Where the were rocks and falls was now just once crashing torrent water. I thought I had a comparison photo from when we crossed earlier. Unfortunately one of my friends thought it would be a laugh to bounce the bridge while I was leaning over to take the photo and it came out rather blurred – lucky I didn’t drop my phone. Funny eh!
The river Orchy is a big one but I’ve never seen it even remotely this high in numerous visits over the years.
The forecast for the next day, whilst better, was still not terribly encouraging but we were hopeful and we had a nice hotel bar to relax in.
The Saturday of our weekend had a much better forecast. There were clearly still some heavy showers around but there more expansive patches of clear sky. We all went our separate ways but a hardy group planned on one of the areas bigger and more dramatic mountains, Stob Ghabhar.
The morning was bright and clear with great views across Loch Tulla to the group of four munros rising above it to the east.
Stob Ghabhar is pretty big (pushing up towards 1,100m), you start from low down and its long walk in, so its a serious undertaking in winter. Luckily there was not much snow around to complicate things and there are good paths most of the way up and down.
The valley of the Abhainn Shira forms the approach and is a classic scottish glacial valley surrounded by big peaks.
Our goal was to follow the stalkers path up to the western top and then traverse back over the summit, pretty much along the skyline seen here.
Plentiful sunshine drew us upwards although the path peters out around 750m so the last couple of hundred metres are harder work over rough ground. These stalkers paths from Victorian times are a godsend where they exist.
Just before the top we were hit by a heavy hail storm. My mate OGS had a novel solution to this. Yes, that is a snorkelling mask he’s wearing. He’s from Yorkshire and genetically programmed not to spend money. Clever idea to re-use old stuff from the house. Tiny flaw in the plan, a completely sealed unit clamped to a hot sweaty face with a freezing cold outer surface has an obvious outcome. He took it off a few seconds later. It gave us probably the biggest laugh of the weekend.
Days like these are some of the best. Showers tend to be violent but short lived but as they clear the light effects are dramatic and mesmerising.
Peaks slowly emerge from the clouds bathed in the sunlight that you know is coming your way. The views here across the South Glencoe peaks and the Glen Etive mountains were amazing.
There was enough snow to make the final walk to the summit both interesting and easier. Nothing finer than a winter walk high on a mountain on hard snow under sunny skies.
This section of ridge was a sheer delight.
The summit was windy and brutally cold so we didn’t linger long. The views across the expanse of Rannoch Moor were great as always.
The two Matts enjoying claiming the summit.
We headed down looking for a sheltered lunch spot and across the narrow but short ridge of the Aonach Eagach. Not as dramatic or difficult as its more famous counterpart a few miles away in Glencoe but it added some interest. Had it been under a full blanket of winter snow it would have been a more challenging proposition.
Looking back to the summit of Stob Ghabhar and Coirein Lochain.
And along the Aonach Eagach.
After a brief and cold lunch the others set off to do the second munro in the group, Stob a Choire Odhair. I was feeling a little out of sorts and TJS didn’t like the look of the steep descent to the col so we took our leave and headed down. The weather turned a little greyer and showery so not many photos from here on in. Just a last look at the Beinn Dorain group across the valley as we reached the car and sat and waited for the others.
A long, tough and tiring day, for me anyway, but one with great memories that I can share with TJS who now has four munros to his name, four more than I had at his age!
March brings along our annual winter gathering of old university friends. We’ve been holding this event for I think 14 years now and the numbers seem to be as strong as ever. 15 this time for the weekend but some of us were there early for an extra day. That extra day was looking a bad idea as the Friday morning was truly appalling. Heavy horizontal rain lashed the hotel and we sat over a lazy breakfast and morning watching the puddles get bigger. The forecast was for a possible improvement after lunch so we headed out on the off chance. As we parked up, the rain stopped and the first flashes of blue sky and sunshine appeared.
We took a route I’d done a couple of years back up the small mountains behind the Bridge of Orchy Hotel. It makes a nice if rather soggy circuit for a half day.
The wind was ferocious and in a couple of places hard to stand up. The views were pretty decent though and far better than anything we could have expected after the morning deluge.
Views towards Rannoch Moor and Loch Tulla.
THO enjoying the wild weather.
And MM and Danish Matt hiding from the wind.
Looking down on our hotel home for the weekend.
As we neared the top of Ben Inverveigh we were caught in a wild and nasty rain storm. The rain was stinging my face as we walked and I nearly bailed and ran down. It seemed to last forever but was only a few minutes after which we were treated to some glorious vistas.
Stob Ghabhar and the Blackmount.
The happy band on the summit.
Wild weather and storms all round.
The twin munros of Beinn Dorain and Beinn an Dothaidh.
Further rain fell as we crossed the col to the second and higher peak of Meal Tairbh. As we reached the wild and exposed top and hunkered down out of the wind we had more fabulous stormy views.
Doesn’t really tell just how windy it was here!
Its a long and rather boggy walk down the ridge and we were hit by a pretty heavy rain shower. I love days like this. The wild weather makes you feel alive and the views when you get them are always so clear and so dramatic.
From the embers of a poor morning we’d lit the fire of a really good afternoon in these little walked hills.
The river views of the Allt Tolaghan at the end of the walk were the icing on the cake.
A decent 8 mile circuit and the weekend off to a great start.
The weather forecast had been changing by the hour through the previous evening but it all seemed to point towards a less wet day, possibly with some sun, maybe some rain, likely cloudy. Not too bad for Scotland. We all decided on a group walk and after much debate and a fight to death with Beinn Challuim, Beinn DubhChraig won. It ticked all the boxes, easy walk, not too far, easy navigation, plentiful parking at Dalrigh. It wasn’t a bad morning in truth and we set off in high spirits
The walk up through the forest was grand, another of those old natural pine forests that used to cloak Scotland, now sadly overtaken by regimented conifer plantations
The party divided as we trudged a particularly boggy trod through the trees, I struck out solo and decided to cross the river to the path. This gave me an opportunity to test how slippery the rocks were and clean my boots and gaiters!
I did at least arrive clear of the forest a good 20 minutes before the rest of the gang who stayed in the boggy forest. From there the day became a bit of trudge. The cloud came down, the snow underfoot was wet and heavy and then some fresh stuff fell from the sky. The promise of a brighter afternoon seemed a long way off. We stopped for a snack and there was an image of the sun.
I’ve been through this cruel deception in Scotland before. The sun appears as a ghostly image, then promptly buggers off to be replaced by rain. As we approached the ridge it did look genuinely blue directly above us and hope was rekindled. EWO loves his phrase “blueing up” and this time, perhaps…….
As the rest arrived we started to see wisps of distant mountains and proper watery sunshine. It was magical.
The photos don’t really do it justice but the mix of deep blue sky directly overhead and thin sunshine on the fresh snow was wonderful. As impressive as the clear blue skies of two days back, possibly more so. We climbed Beinn Dubhchraig several years ago on a previous trip and had exactly the same experience. A dreary, damp climb in the cloud and a sudden and dramatic weather clearance. My luckiest mountain?
The big problem with walking in a big group in poor conditions is it tends to lead to errors. Most people set off 180 degrees in the wrong direction, essentially back down the ridge we’d just come up. We’d strayed too far west while nattering leading to this major piece of navigational incompetence. I called them back when I saw the summit looming above us through the mist in the opposite direction!
From the summit the views were changing by the second, crystal clear one moment, back into cloud the next. It was cold and windy so we looked for spot for a leisurely lunch
I enjoy these big group gatherings, this one all the better for the ever improving weather. The good humour and frivolity was enlivened by TBF letting her sandwich box slide off down the hill. Being the kind soul I am, I tried to knock it further down the slope by throwing snowballs at it. OFS stepped in to retrieve it giving me an additional and much larger target that I promptly hit square on the head. Result!
The walk down the NE ridge was just superb. The skies were clearing further, revealing superb views across the Southern Highlands and Loch Lomond
There were a couple of steep sections that would have been interesting in icy conditions but easy to plunge down in very deep snow
There was one spot on the end of one of the small buttresses that was bathed in sunlight with majestic views all around. We took it all in and snapped many photos
Ben More and Sob Binnein looked especially wintry
This is Old Grandfather Sheffield. He had a “Cardiac Event” (to give it it’s modern re-branding) a few years ago which gave him a stark lifestyle reality check. All good now but there was a while when he thought climbing summits might be beyond him. He joins us every year and whilst he’s not quite as fast as he once was he’s pretty much back to his best and really seems to relish these weekends almost more than the rest of us.
The light just got better and better as we came down. Even though the snow was horrid and wet and the ground boggy it didn’t matter. Why should it with views like these
Rather than return the same way and cut the corner off through the boggy forest, we took the much longer forestry track. Having already done two longish days my knees weren’t happy to bash down a hard track. I was just starting to think that the shortcut would have been better when I (on my own as everyone else had left me behind) emerged from the forest to this view of Beinn Dorain and Beinn Odhar
It was superb and as the shortcut comes out much lower I’d have missed the scene and the light as I’d been down much earlier. From there, the walk down the through the natural forest was breathtaking
At every bend there was a better view than the last
Beinn Challuim stood proud catching the last of the sunlight and framed often by the Scots Pines
It was after six when we reached the car with everyone waiting for me and TBF. An absolutely cracking finish and well worth the lost sleep from arriving back home at 2am
So our winter gathering over for another year. A new home found and another couple of superb days to live long in the memory all the better shared with loyal friends of long standing.
Normal service resumed. The promised bad weather had arrived and was happily splashing everything with a soaking rain when we roused ourselves for breakfast. Plenty of time for a leisurely feast and long discussions about how best to use a wet and grey day in the middle of nowhere that is the Southern Highlands. The forecast had been evolving and it seemed to promise a ramp-down in the rain in the afternoon. In fact by the time we had re-assembled in the car park to continue the discussion in a colder and less hospitable environment the rain had pretty much stopped. While others went to bag munros and dreary corbetts, a select band chose an altogether more unprepossessing route
A horseshoe around the hills behind the hotel, taking in Ben Inverveigh and Meall Tairbh. We hoped their modest height would keep us out of the cloud and although that didn’t quite work out, it was in the end a pretty enjoyable day – of sorts – and challenging in its own way
The lower slopes, so often a real grind in these parts was overcome by the West Highland Way and a decent path that took us most of the way to the top. The views weren’t all that bad and we took comfort from the fact it was nowhere near as bad as the forecast from the previous day
We reached the snowline and wandered across the wide ridge taking in small outcrops and cairns as we went. When the mist came down we amused ourselves with baiting each other with the political and social issues of the day.
After a brief rest below the first summit we pressed on over a col that on the 1:50k map had no contours over a quite wide area – never a good sign in Scotland. In fact it was drier than expected (for that read, extremely boggy rather than a lake disguised as dry land) and interesting in its own way.
I found a small and very soggy, wet stream to enliven the climb to the second summit and celebrated its ascent with a fruit pie from Tebay services in the snow (they are well worth a stop on the M6 to stock up for a weekend I can tell you).
The summit of Meall Tairbh was bagged in a white out followed by a long plod down a very boggy ridge and back to Inveroran on the shores of Loch Tulla. I have great memories of this spot. You can park up and pitch on the grass where the road crosses the Allt Tolaghan and we did so many times for winter mountain bagging, retreating to the pub a short walk away to eat and drink. They were happy days. Who am I kidding they were cold days and I much prefer a warm B&B to a cold tent and frozen milk on cornflakes for breakfast. I was kidding they were memorable and fun weekends with a huge number of stories from the archive
It was a day that vindicated making the effort. Little in the way of views but good company and a fine walking challenge. I would have drawn you a map to show how far we went but Bing seem to have removed that functionality. Looks like I’ll have to pay for some maps. The cheek of it!
Winter in the mountains this year has been wildy unpredictable. I’ve been skiing at over 2000m in the Alps over rocks and bare patches of grass while my mate UF has just been suffering from no skiing due to too much snow just a month later. Ahead of our annual trip top the Southern Highlands the conditions changed from full winter, to no snow, back to loads of snow, followed by another thaw, all in a period of less than two weeks. I had no idea whether to pack skis, crampons, axes or shorts for this years trip!
Our home for the past few years has been the Suie Lodge Hotel. Sadly the wonderful owners who looked after us so well have sold up and the place was in transition to new owners so we needed a new home. This year we gave the Bridge of Orchy Hotel a go, more upmarket and pricey but after some negotiation by your truly we got a decent rate. It has a location to die for and the place is rather nice. The bar was out of action for a refurbishment but the rooms were great and the staff superb. Food was also top drawer so the place comes highly recommended
The weather forecast looked promising but drawing back the curtains on the Friday revealed a stunner. Cloudless blue sky and wisps of mist over the summits and valleys. One of the huge benefits of the hotel is the possibility of munros from the door so we chose a route over Beinn an Dothaidh and Beinn Achaladair leaving a car at the far end so we could make a circuit
It was a magnificent day, far better than the forecast had led us to believe.
As we ascended Coire an Dothaidh the views just got better and better
We hit the snowline at 700m and it the transformation was dramatic. From odd patches to complete deep cover in a mater of minutes. It was primarily deep unconsolidated snow on very wet ground so no need for metalwork and it was hard going. Luckily we had fit people in the party happy to break trail for me! 🙂
At the col we were in a winter wonderland. There was much exchange of smug grins and talk of people still at work
We pressed on towards the first summit of Beinn an Dothaidh. The snow was in places surprisingly extensive and deep considering there had been a major thaw less than a week ago
This range is one of the best in Scotland on a clear day. They stand proud above the vast expanse of Rannoch Moor giving a reals sense of air and space with a huge spread of mountains to the south and west
This is the next mountain on the route, Beinn Achaladair
We hit the edge somewhere between the the three tops and took a wander back to one of the lower tops on a whim, seeing as it was such a nice day.
It was an inspired idea. Not only were the views majestic but there was a perfect lunch spot tucked under the rocks, out of the wind and with the best of the views
Ben Cruachan looked particularly superb
Nothing better than a blue sky day, winter conditions and a chance to savour it with good friends of long standing
Onwards across the edge to the very shapely north top before plunging down to the col for another climb
The ridge to Beinn Achaladair is a long one, although not steep but you barely notice such things on a perfect day
Lochaber and its vast collection of summits was laid out in front of us
Even Ben Nevis was clear of cloud
As the day progressed it became a view of two halves. Supremely clear to the north and west but with cloud building from the south. The advance of bad weather that was forecast for the rest of the weekend. The cloud created some mesmeric lighting effects that my camera didn’t do justice to
The walk along the last part of of the summit ridge was a delight
It was one of those days that you just don’t want to end. Tired legs and fading light dictated otherwise
The party divided. Some chose the easy and longer option of a return to the col. The rest of us plunged down a quite outrageously steep grassy slope on a more direct route to the car.
The setting sun provided a fitting finale to a memorable day.
I thought we’d used up all our Scottish good weather luck last year but it was still holding
I spend alot of my time surfing the web looking for ideas on places to go, walking routes, travel ideas and tips to plan the perfect holiday or day out. (I'm a project manager I like to plan). I thought it was time to share my own experiences and contribute to the vast amounts in information that's already out there.
I'll also add in some gear and tech reviews and when something irks me I may even use this forum to have a rant - I do that pretty well I'm told.There are a few pages at the top that give a bit of background to what I like to get up to and what you can expect to see in my posts. I'm not exactly a creative writer but I hope some people will find my stuff useful or inpsiring or at least enjoy some of my photos.
surfnslide 