Scotland
Beinn an Oir
785M
2575FT
About Beinn an Oir
Dominating the Jura skyline, this is the highest of the three iconic Paps. The ascent involves navigating steep, shifting quartzite scree, but the summit reward is a spectacular panoramic view of the Inner Hebrides and the Kintyre Peninsula. It is the island’s sole Corbett and a true west-coast classic.
Key Statistics
Rank
8th Highest in Region
Parent Range
The Southern Hebrides
Prominence
?
785m
Nearest Town
Data coming soon
Geology
You are walking on the Jura Quartzite Formation, a very hard rock formed from compressed sand. This durable stone creates the rugged ground beneath your boots.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NR498749
Latitude
55.9024°N
Longitude
6.0041°W
Did You Know?
- •The name is Gaelic for 'Mountain of Gold.' This refers not to buried treasure, but to the way the setting sun catches the pale quartzite scree on the upper slopes, making the entire peak appear to shimmer from across the Sound of Jura.
- •From the summit, the view across the Sound of Islay is exceptional. On a clear day, the peaks of Mull and the distant silhouette of Ben Nevis are visible to the north, while the mountains of Antrim in Northern Ireland can be spotted across the sea to the south.
- •The mountain is a focal point of the annual Jura Fell Race. Competitors must navigate the three Paps and four other summits in a grueling circuit that is notoriously difficult due to the lack of maintained paths and the unstable nature of the rock.
- •The peak is composed of Jura Quartzite, a hard metamorphic rock formed from ancient sands roughly 600 million years ago. This material gives the Paps their distinctive conical shape and white, bone-like appearance from a distance.
- •Despite the name promising gold, the only thing you are guaranteed to find in abundance on these slopes is a collection of loose stones inside your boots.