• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Hugh Stewart

  • Home
  • Books
    • Hillwalks from the Settle to Carlisle Railway Stations
    • Settle to Carlisle – Hill Walk with Return by Classic Train Route
    • Mountain Biking Adventures: Multi-day Routes in Northern Britain
  • About Hugh
    • Author
    • Orthopaedic Surgeon
  • Walking Blog
  • Contact

The middle Pap of Jura – Bienn an Oir

By Hugh Stewart May 30, 2022 Leave a Comment

This route has been written about many times, but as we disagree with the Cicerone guide’s recommended route and this was the first eight mile plus mountain walk I’d done in 18 months, we thought it worth a celebratory shout. Why just the middle Pap? Because it’s the easiest as you might imagine, looking at the other two; it is a Corbett; and it is a fantastic walk! It starts from Three Arch Bridge, the parking area is just opposite the road to Knockrome. Cross the bridge and pass through the stile and follow the well worn path to Loch an t-Siob’, nearly two miles away. It is boggy, and that is the reason the Cicerone Guide does not recommend it, but it is not worse than our local moors and the Pennines, and the locals said it had been wet lately. It is the most direct route. Just do it! The young and agile can cross the stepping stones just before the Loch, and follow the path ascending gently west, but note the far bank has been eroded and the final step is a long one, and certainly I would not return that way as the final stone is also tilted away from the bank, so a miss would mean an early bath. Or worse. We noted the younger couple ahead thought twice about the final jump, and followed us on the return over the easily jumped Abhainn Gleann an t- Siob’ at the western end of the Loch. The other inflow streams are bridged as a sort of track exists to the “bothy”. Pick the best route from here upto a traversing path and climb the grassy slope to the broad saddle between the two northern Paps. The best route seems to be by the stream on the map which is marked arising on the saddle. Then you will see a diagonal stony path from the grassy saddle climbing leftwards to the start of the right slanting wide rake which is so obvious from the east and south, and which takes you easily right to the northern end of the south-west/north-east aligned summit ridge. There the now stony scree path ascends steeply back to the ridge. The “constructed path” on the summit is made of rough quartzite stones. I’m sure the summit has great 360 views, but the clouds descended on us. Returning from the summit, a straightforward descent at first on grass can be made where a brown volcanic blob lies on the southern ridge edge, to cut the corner to the rake, although you cannot escape some scree. Take time on the descent to savour the fantastic views of the other Paps, the Loch, and the far seascape and the mainland, and once down, celebrate at the wonderful bistro/cafe opposite the shop in Craighouse, before more pleasantries in the Hotel!

Nearly 9 miles, with just over 2500ft of ascent.

© OpenStreetMap contributors
Download file: Ben an oir.gpx
Beinn an Oir, left, and the eastern Pap from Islay.
Approaching the Loch, Beinn an Oir left, Beinn Shiantaidh right.
Outlow of Loch an t-Siob’
Ascending from the Loch
Beinn a Chaolais from the ascent to the saddle.
At the Saddle, showing the rake and the stony path to it.
On the rake, Beinn Shiantaidh beyond
Nearing the rake top
Summit ridge
View from the rake top
The easy path south of the Loch

Filed Under: Walks

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Search

Post Categories

The Latest Comments

  • Carol on Troughton Beck, Langdale.
  • Peter Smith on Harrisend Fell to Grizedale Head, Bowland.
  • Peter Smith on Harrisend Fell to Grizedale Head, Bowland.
  • Hugh Stewart on Ambleside Grasmere circular via Loughrigg.
  • Monica Placzek on Ambleside Grasmere circular via Loughrigg.

Enjoying the Blog Posts?

If you are enjoying my content please consider supporting my passion by purchasing one of my books. Many thanks, Hugh.

Hillwalks from the Settle to Carlisle Railway Stations

24 walks into the hills surrounding the historic and iconic Settle to Carlisle railway, based on the stations between Settle and Appleby. The area has some of the finest walking of the north Pennines: the Craven district around Settle; the Three Peaks area; Dentdale, and Mallerstang and the upper Eden valley.

£12.95 (P&P may apply)

View Book

Mountain Biking Adventures: Multi-day Routes in Northern Britain

Over the last two decades, mountain biking has developed enormously as a “sport”. We greatly admire the technical and athletic capabilities of modern day mountain bikers and recognise that many excellent guides have been written and custom-built trails set up. In this guide we try to reopen a sense of adventure and wilderness to mountain biking, providing multi-day routes with a remoteness, continuity and “arc” missing from many modern guides with their focus on day and half day outings.

UK £13.95 ( inc. P&P)

View Book

Settle to Carlisle – Hill Walk with Return by Classic Train Route

With over 22,000 ft of ascent in 105 miles set out over 8 days, this walk sets out from Settle, taking in the classic summits of the North Yorkshire Dales, Howgills, Eastern and Northern Lakeland Fells, to arrive at Carlisle. The return journey to Settle by one of the classic train journeys. Illustrated with photographs and route maps.

£12.95 (P&P may apply)

View Book

Footer

Nenthead Nuttalls 1: The Dodd and Killhope Law.

If you, like us, don't fancy 13.5 miles of moor bog trotting to bag three "Nuttalls", as their book chapters 10.1 and 10.2 do, these two walks allow two each and shorten the moor walking. For the first we started at Killhope Cross, at 623m actually higher than The Dodd, and followed the fence over

Continue Reading

Watendlath and Borrowdale circular

A suitable pre-Theatre by the Lake evening production, when the cloud level is low and you don't fancy walking with no views in the damp. It comes to just under 9 miles with 2100ft of ascent. From the Lodore Wood car park up the Watendlath road, take the road south till an obvious track leads off

Continue Reading

Addition to the book of Trespass: Warcop.

This is an 8 mile walk over Little Fell and down and along the side of Scordale. A wild, lonely, and in places rough walk, with 2100ft of climbing. The trespass refers to the fact that most of the walk is in the MOD's land, with access granted by them on 12 weekends per year and other odd days. The

Continue Reading

Copyright © 2023 · Hugh Stewart All rights reserved. · Website created by LeePritchard.com