Scotland
Beinn a' Chaolais
735M
2412FT
About Beinn a' Chaolais
Standing as the southernmost of the iconic Paps of Jura, this steep quartzite cone offers a rugged, scree-heavy ascent. Although the lowest of the three summits, its position provides the most intimate perspective across the Sound of Islay, looking directly down onto the white-washed distilleries of the neighbouring island.
Key Statistics
Rank
12th Highest in Region
Parent Range
The Southern Hebrides
Prominence
?
361.1m
Nearest Town
Data coming soon
Geology
You are walking over hard, white quartzite and strips of dark volcanic rock. These tough materials form the rugged skeleton of the mountain beneath your boots.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NR488734
Latitude
55.8885°N
Longitude
6.0174°W
Did You Know?
- •The name is derived from the Gaelic 'Beinn a' Chaolais', meaning 'Mountain of the Sound'. This refers specifically to its position overlooking the Sound of Islay, the narrow and fast-flowing stretch of water separating Jura from Islay.
- •This hill is a primary obstacle in the annual Jura Fell Race, a grueling 28km event where runners must navigate the pathless, scree-covered slopes of all three Paps.
- •Geologically, the hill is composed of Jura Quartzite, a metamorphic rock that gives the Paps their shimmering white appearance from a distance but creates notoriously unstable and abrasive underfoot conditions.
- •The summit offers a clear view across the North Channel to the Irish coast; on a sharp day, the cliffs of Rathlin Island and the Antrim plateau are easily identifiable to the southwest.
- •Due to the relentless nature of the shifting quartzite slopes, it is generally accepted that you don’t so much descend this hill as accompany a small portion of it to the bottom.