Beinn Dorain

About Beinn Dorain

Rising in a series of steep, grassy tiers above Bridge of Orchy, this iconic Munro is a landmark of the West Highlands. While its conical profile looks formidable from the glen, a clear path reaches the high bealach. The summit offers an unparalleled perspective across the desolate, watery expanse of Rannoch Moor.

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Did You Know?

• •The name originates from the Scottish Gaelic Beinn Dobhrain, which translates to 'Hill of the Otter'. While unusual for a high mountain, it likely refers to the burns at its base or the nearby River Orchy.
• •The mountain was immortalised by the 18th-century Gaelic poet Duncan Ban MacIntyre in his masterpiece Moladh Beinn Dòbhrain (In Praise of Ben Doran). MacIntyre worked as a gamekeeper on these slopes and wrote with intimate detail about the deer herds that frequent the hill.
• •It is perhaps the most accessible Munro for rail travellers; the ascent begins almost immediately upon stepping off the platform at Bridge of Orchy station on the West Highland Line.
• •The summit provides a spectacular vantage point for looking across the Great Moor of Rannoch. To the south-west, the 'Queen of the Highlands', Ben Lui, is clearly visible, while the jagged peaks of the Black Mount line the northern horizon.
• •Most walkers bag this Munro alongside its neighbour, Beinn an Dothaidh. The route between them involves a steep, stony ascent into the high corrie of Coire an Dothaidh, which can hold snow well into the spring.
• •Given its name, you might expect semi-aquatic mammals at the top, but at 1,076 metres, you are far more likely to be greeted by a persistent wind and a very optimistic raven than an otter.