Bridge Of Orchy: Hiking, Mountains and Architecture

Bridge Of Orchy combines historic buildings with hiking trails, mountain peaks and the River Orchy. If you are looking for a hotel in Bridge Of Orchy, these different points of interest can help with your trip planning: a look at the railway station and Parish Church, individual sections of the West Highland Way, or a hike towards Glen Lyon. Forest tracks and the river’s kayak launch point are also among the things you can consider for your trip.

Buildings in the village

The Bridge of Orchy spans the River Orchy and lies on the Old Road to Ballachulish and Fort William. Bridge of Orchy Station makes a different architectural statement with its distinctive Swiss chalet style. The former signal box, a North British Railway Company Type 6a signal box, is part of the station complex. The bridge, station and signal box therefore offer different points of interest if you are interested in buildings and the area’s transport history.

Bridge of Orchy Parish Church is a popular stop on the West Highland Way. The small, whitewashed building has a grey slate roof and red-painted gutters and downpipes. It is on the A82 between the car park at Bridge of Orchy and the Bridge of Orchy Hotel. Its location between these two named landmarks also helps you place the church.

The West Highland Way and routes to Glen Lyon

The West Highland Way passes near Bridge of Orchy Forest. Bridge of Orchy railway station enables walkers to complete individual sections of the long-distance route as part of a trip, rather than the entire route. The section from Tyndrum to Inveroran is described as having a consistently good trail surface and some ascents and descents. The route passes through wide valleys and impressive mountain scenery. If you are planning part of the long-distance route, these details provide different points of reference for both the terrain and the scenery.

The Glen Lyon Loop offers another hiking connection: from Bridge of Orchy, it crosses the pass near Ben Doran to Glen Lyon. The distance to the head of Glen Lyon is 16 miles. This route is defined by a specific distance, while the station gives walkers the option of choosing individual sections of the West Highland Way. Mountain bikers can follow the walkers’ waymarkers from Bridge of Orchy to Glen Lyon.

Another named route is the Black Mount Military Road. It begins in Bridge of Orchy and ends at the Kings House Hotel. Along the way, it crosses the Bridge of Orchy, climbs through the forest over Mam Carraigh and continues to the Inveroran Hotel. Its start and end points, and the described route, help distinguish it from the connection to Glen Lyon and the sections of the West Highland Way.

Mountain peaks, forest tracks and the River Orchy

Beinn Dòrain is a Munro east of Bridge of Orchy and reaches an elevation of 1,076 metres. Loch Lyon can be seen to the northeast from the summit. The main summit of Beinn an Dòthaidh is at 1,004 metres; the stated elevations of the two summits therefore differ by 72 metres. Beinn Dòrain is the higher of the two mountains.

Forest tracks accessible from Bridge of Orchy lead into the heart of Glen Orchy. There is also a kayak launch point on the River Orchy at the car park and picnic area near Bridge of Orchy. The site can be reached via the A82 and by public transport. When planning your trip, you can therefore choose between woodland tracks, named hiking routes and an activity on the river.

Discover more destinations: Innellan, Saint Catherines, Lochgilphead, Campbeltown, Lussagiven, Tarbert, Ardfern, Glencruitten.

For the wider travel overview: Argyll And Bute.