Ben Dorain

GB and I had our first trip to Scotland in the early 1960s (any photos GB?) with Mum, Dad, family friend, Phil Moss, and a caravan. It was great fun and a lot easier to stop by the side of the road in those days. Phil’s Rollei with its square format slides was in use frequently. Unfortunately, when Phil died his slides disappeared so we have no record from his perspective. On our way up through Scotland in July GB and I could not resist stopping to take a picture or two of one of Phil’s favourite mountains – Ben Dorain.

Ben Dorain (Gaelic: Beinn Dòbhrain 'hill of the streamlet' or 'hill of the otters'), is a mountain located in the Bridge of Orchy hills of Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is one of the most recognisable mountains in Scotland, as it curves gracefully up from the West Highland Way. It is the subject of Duncan Ban MacIntyre's best known Gaelic poem, "Moladh Beinn Dòbhrainn" (English: "In Praise of Ben Dorain"); MacIntyre had worked as a gamekeeper in these parts.

An t-urram thar gach beinn
Aig Beinn Dòbhrain;
De na chunnaic mi fon ghrèin,
'S i bu bhòidhche leam…

English translation:
Honour beyond each ben
for Ben Dorain;
Of all I have seen beneath the sun,
she is the most glorious for me.

The English composer Ronald Stevenson composed a work for full chorus, chamber chorus, symphony orchestra and chamber orchestra based on MacIntyre's poem in 2007.