Beinn a' Chaolais

Beinn a’ Chaolais stands on the island of Jura in Argyll and Bute. It is one of the three Paps of Jura, a group of quartzite peaks on the island’s west coast. The highest of the three reaches 785 metres, and all are visible from the neighbouring island of Islay and from Kintyre on the mainland. Their rounded shapes resemble breasts, a feature reflected in their Gaelic and Norse names. The three peaks are Beinn an Òir, Beinn Shiantaidh and Beinn a’ Chaolais. The Paps of Jura have inspired local whisky production. In 2009 the Isle of Jura distillery released three limited editions named after the mountains. Each used casks that had held different wines: Mountain of Gold in Pinot Noir, Mountain of the Sound in Cabernet Sauvignon, and Sacred Mountain in Barolo. The distillery’s releases show how the landscape shapes the island’s identity. Visitors to Jura find a wild, sparsely populated island with no marked paths to the summits. The full traverse of all three Paps covers about 17 kilometres and takes six to eight hours. From the top of Beinn an Òir the view stretches to Islay, Mull, Skye’s Black Cuillin, Arran and even the coast of Northern Ireland. Each year a fell race crosses the Paps and four other hills, drawing runners to the island’s dramatic scenery.