Jura's 4 Paps

[m3doc]

Left Jura Hotel on e-bikes (one of us actually pedalling) 8.20 am and in 15 minutes and 5km (3 miles) had reached the start of walk at bridge over Corran River (space for parking beyond the bridge). The path starts at south side of bridge and over a stile. Even after 2 weeks dry weather it is boggy to mid-shin in places (as can be attested) so gaiters are a plus (also keeps scree stones out of boots). Poles too are helpful for vaulting and testing boggy parts though less so on boulder scree.

After 2km we left the path, dropping down over clumpy grass to the river, crossed without difficulty and making use of bits of path headed up NW passing false top cairn 100m before summit Corra Bheinn 573m in less than 2 hours. Views of the other 3 Paps are daunting.

The route down goes back south slightly then a path appears going down grassy slopes towards the lochans 310m thence an obvious rising path through heather contours southwest round below scree slopes of Beinn Shiantaidh but after a while leads up north to further scree not all of which can be avoided on patches of grass and short heather and quartzite boulders lead to summit 757m in another 2 hours.

Descent westwards down narrow ridge with short scrambly section a third of the way down to col 450m aiming for obvious grassy rake which rises north then steeply west up to ridge where are remains of 2 old stone shelters and 200m paved way south to summit cairns and triangulation pyramid of the corbett Beinn an Oir 785m.

The route south has no obvious path so after initial quartzite boulders, use of some grassy slopes aids descent with meandering lower down through broken crags to reach the col 370m. Keeping to the left of scree using some grass to get onto the east ridge to summit of Beinn a'Chaolais 733m.

Descent is back down the ridge but, where ascent route to ridge is met, continued east steeply down grass and short heather and eases off at 400m over grassy slopes picking up path on south side of Loch an t-Siob meeting up with ascent boggy track back to bridge and e-bkes 11 and 1/4 hours later. Hats off to the fell runners who add Bheinns Aonach, Glas and Dubh plus the 3 road miles in just over 3 hours - unbelievable!!!

[Andymac75]

Wow.
What a great trek.And what a great place.
I've grown up looking at the Paps,and I really must do them.

Great report.

[litljortindan]

Looks like you got a great day there. Only been up Ben an Oir so good to see another report of some of the other Jura hills to inspire me to a return one day.