Background image - On Top Of A Pap Jura Bonnie Wood

On top of the Paps of Jura

Paps of Jura

Background image - Jura 2 Social Res 001 4479

A Guide to Hiking the Paps of Jura

Scotland's Adventure Coast

Mountainous, rugged and sparsely populated, the island of Jura is perhaps the wildest of the Inner Hebridean islands. Its most famous and striking features are the Paps of Jura – three cone-shaped scree-clad mountains on the west of the island. They dominate the island landscape and can be seen from much of the surrounding area, including Kintyre & Gigha, and almost every other island in the Southern Hebrides.

Here's all you need to know about hiking the Paps of Jura, including answers to the most common questions, good places to stay and other things to do whilst on Jura.

Climbing the Mountain of Gold

Planning Your Hiking Trip to Jura

The Paps of Jura are located on the Western side of Jura and consist of three distinctively cone-shaped mountains that give them their nickname. Beinn an Òir ('Mountain of Gold') is the highest of the Paps and at 2,575ft classified as a Corbett. Beinn Shiantaidh (‘Holy Mountain) stands at 2,477ft and Beinn a' Chaolais (‘Mountain of the Kyle’) is the lowest of the Paps, at 2,408ft. Another hill, Cora Bheinn, stands to the north-east of Beinn Shiantaidh. It’s not considered one of the Paps, but is part of the same group of mountains.

When planning your hiking trip to the Isle of Jura, it's important ot consider local weather conditions and follow national safety guidelines. Feeling a little uncertain? Join one of Jura Guided's walking expeditions up to the Paps of Jura with an experienced local guide and a small group of fellow walkers.

Good to Know!

Walking Statistics, Parking & Route Details

Total Distance: The total route, incl. all three summits, is 17 km / 11 miles
Time required: 9-12 hours
Level of difficulty: This is a challenging walk with pathless sections and very boggy approach.
Parking: There's a dedicated free parking area directly past the bridge on River Corran, off road A846. No facilities.
Trailhead for all Paps hikes: Directly at the old bridge over River Corran, signposted path over stile
Which map: Ordnance Survey Explorer 355 Jura & Scarba
Online Apps: The existing hiking paths near Paps of Jura are marked on Maps.me, or Mapy.cz, OpenStreetMaps.com

Hillwalking the Paps of Jura - What you need to know!

How hard are the Paps of Jura?

The Paps of Jura offer fantastic, if challenging, walking. Scaling all three Paps must be one of the classic Scottish hill walks to tick off your list!

The full round is about 16km, but give yourself a good nine to ten hours to complete it. Walking the Paps is tough going, with steep mountain terrain, loose scree and boulders and no continuous paths or way-marking. You need to be an experienced walker with good map-reading skills. There isn’t a fixed route, but rather a few different options. One of the simplest routes of ascent starts from Craighouse.

Background image - 108710 The Paps Of Jura Large

Background image - Jura 2 Social Res 017

Paps of Jura Hiking Trails

Of course, you don’t have to scale all three peaks! Walk to the top of any of the Paps and you’ll be treated to the most breathtaking vista. On a clear day, the view from the top is simply stunning. You can choose to conquer Beinn an Oir (from Gaelic: Mountain of Gold), - the highest of the three - or combine Beinn an Oir with either Beinn Shiantadh or Beinn a’Chaolais.

Both of these walks are still considered moderately challenging but cut the walking time down to 8-9 hrs with a total distance of 13-16km covered.

Hiking the Paps of Jura? Keep your eyes our for wildlife!

And it’s not just the views that make walking the Paps of Jura worthwhile. You’re likely to see some wonderful wildlife too while you’re scaling these heights.

Look to the skies to see if you can spot birds of prey circling above, including hen harriers, golden eagles, and sea eagles. Since 2010, Jura has been designated by Scottish Natural Heritage as a Special Protection Area for golden eagles.

Jura is also home to around 5,000 deer and meeting these majestic animals upon the isolated hills is a fabulous experience. But remember, with all these deer around you, it pays to be ‘tick aware’.

Background image - Jura 2 Social Res 011 4560

Jura Fell Race

A test of hillcraft, endurance & fell running technique

Background image - Jura 2 Social Res 042

If walking the Paps of Jura doesn’t sound tough enough, how about taking part in the annual Isle of Jura Fell Race? This 28km run, undoubtedly one of the toughest challenges in Scottish hill racing, includes all three Paps and four other hills. It’s a true test of mountain craft, athleticism, and fell-running technique.

Planning Your Visit to Jura

Getting to Jura

Most people get to Jura via Islay. The islands are separated by the Sound of Islay, a half-mile-wide stretch of water. On the crossing, which takes about ten minutes, you’ll be treated to great views of the Paps of Jura! The ferry runs from Port Askaig on Islay to Feolin on Jura. Tickets can be purchased on the ferry or online in advance. We do, however, recommend booking your Islay ferry tickets in advance via Clamac Ferries.

The other option is to catch the Jura Passenger Ferry from Tayvallich in mid-Argyll to Jura. It runs from Easter until the end of September.

Where to stay

There are a number of self-catering holiday cottages and chalets on Jura, as well as some B&Bs. Lorne Cottage is a brilliantly located, traditional cottage with stunning views over Small Isles Bay. Bothan Jura Retreat also offers self-catering stays, perfect for couples seeking to truly unplug and reconnect for a while. All bothans come with Swedish wood fired hot tubs and the cottage also has a sauna.