It was finally time to lace up the boots and get back to bagging. For this outing, the targets were Beinn an Dothaidh (1,004m) and Beinn Dòrain (1,076m), two iconic peaks towering over the West Highland Way.
Here is how a day of pure Scottish grit, zero visibility, and relentless bog unfolded.
The Starting Point & The Strategy
We parked up at the Bridge of Orchy Hotel car park. The game plan was simple: conquer the hills first, and reward ourselves with a massive, well-earned lunch at the hotel afterward. With the motivation of pub food locked in, we headed off.
Right from the jump, the weather wasn’t playing ball. It was incredibly rainy and visibility was poor, but we weren’t going to let a bit of Scotch mist (read: a torrential downpour) stop us. We put our heads down and plodded on.
Navigating the Bog
Because of the heavy rain, the lower path was a bit of a swamp and quite hard to find.
Hiker’s Tip: To stay on track, I used the Organic Maps app paired with the route downloaded from Walkhighlands. If you’re looking for a brilliant, reliable, and completely free navigation app that works offline, I highly recommend this setup. It was a lifesaver today.
As we climbed, a faint path emerged, making navigation a bit easier between the massive, saturated boggy sections. After some scrambling over loose, wet, and incredibly slippery rocks, we finally reached the bealach (the midway point between the two peaks).
Soaked and breathless, it was time to make a choice: left or right?
Munro #12: Beinn an Dothaidh
We decided to head left first to tackle Beinn an Dothaidh.
This section was an absolute peat bog graveyard. The path was barely visible, but by glued eyes to Organic Maps, we forged ahead. After a relentless slog, I finally stood on the summit to bag my 12th Munro!
- The Views: Absolutely zero. Total whiteout.
- The Feeling: Pure satisfaction. Honestly, given how brutal the conditions were, the sense of achievement was more than enough to make up for the lack of a panorama.
Turning Squishy: The Journey to Munro #13
By the time we retraced our steps back to the midway point, I was completely soaked through. Not a single layer of clothing was dry, and my boots had officially turned into individual swimming pools for my feet. But with one more peak within reach, turning back wasn’t an option.
We headed right, aiming for the distinct cone of Beinn Dòrain.
Thankfully, this side wasn’t quite as boggy, but it made up for it with rockiness. The relentless rain turned the scrambly sections into slippery slides, requiring extra caution. We took our time, found our footing, and finally reached the top.
Munro #13 was officially in the bag!
The Descent & The Stats
Reaching the summit of both peaks in those conditions felt incredible. But as every hiker knows, getting up is only half the battle.
Heading down was an entirely different challenge. The visibility had dropped even further, the rain had intensified, and the loose rocks were slicker than ever. We took it slow, carefully navigating the steep terrain, and safely made it back to the Bridge of Orchy.
Day at a Glance:
- Munros Bagged: Beinn an Dothaidh (12) & Beinn Dòrain (13)
- Total Time: 5.5 hours
- Weather: Character-building (Rain, wind, and zero views)
- Dry clothes at the end: 0%
What’s Next?
That’s another two ticked off the lifetime list! Despite the weather trying its best to damp our spirits, it felt amazing to get back out there.
For my next adventure, I’m hoping to target another double-header to bring me up to a nice, neat 15 Munros.
Have you hiked Beinn Dòrain or Beinn an Dothaidh in better weather than me? Let me know in the comments below, and keep watching to see which peaks I pick next!
