Scotland
Airigh Mhic Bheathain
547M
1795FT
About Airigh Mhic Bheathain
Rising above the Sound of Jura, this rugged peak offers a wild, pathless ascent through classic Hebridean moorland. Reaching 547m, it provides a quieter perspective on the island than the nearby Paps, with expansive views stretching across the water towards the mainland hills of Knapdale and the Kintyre Peninsula.
Key Statistics
Rank
97th Highest in Region
Parent Range
Data coming soon
Prominence
?
26
Nearest Town
Highland
Geology
You are walking across a foundation of hard crystalline rock and compressed sandstone, cut through by dark volcanic stone and speckled granite.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NM881553
Latitude
56.6420°N
Longitude
5.4561°W
Did You Know?
- •The name is Gaelic in origin, translating as 'MacBeth's Shieling' or 'The Shieling of the son of Beathan.' An àirigh was a hut used by herders during summer grazing, suggesting this remote moorland was once part of the island's seasonal pastoral cycle.
- •Situated on the Isle of Jura, the hill is an exceptional vantage point for studying the island's more famous peaks; from the summit, the massive conical profiles of Beinn an Òir and Beinn Shiantaidh dominate the northern skyline.
- •The terrain is typical of Jura's interior, consisting of steep quartzite slopes and thick heather, with almost no established paths to assist the ascent from the coastal road.
- •On a clear day, the eastward view extends across the Sound of Jura to the distinctive ridgelines of Knapdale and, further south, the Mull of Oa on Islay.
- •While the name suggests a place of shelter for a weary shepherd, anyone looking for a dry spot to sit on these notoriously boggy slopes may find the 'shieling' part of the name to be a historical taunt.