Activities in Isle Of Jura
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Paps of Jura
Climbing the Paps of Jura is a truly tough hill-walk over ankle-breaking scree that requires good fitness and navigational skills (you’ll need eight hours for the 11 long, hard and weary miles). A good place to start is by the bridge over the River Corran, 3 miles north of Craighouse. The first peak you reach is Beinn a’Chaolais (734m), the second is Beinn an Oir (784m) and the third is Beinn Shiantaidh (755m). Most people also climb Corra Bheinn (569m), before joining Evans’ Walk to return to the road. If you succeed in bagging all four, you can reflect on the fact that the record for the annual Paps of Jura fell race is just three hours!
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Evans Walk
The only real trail on the island is a stalkers’ path that leads for 6 miles from the main road through a pass in the hills to a hunting lodge above the remote sandy beach at Glenbatrick Bay. The path leaves the road 4 miles north of Craighouse (just under a mile north of the bridge over the River Corran). The first 0.75 mile is hard-going along an interwoven braid of faint, squelchy trails through lumpy bog; aim at or just left of the cairn on the near horizon. The path firms up and is easier to follow after you cross a stream. On the descent on the far side of the pass, look out for wild orchids and sundew, and keep an eye out for adders basking in the sun. Allow six ho…
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Corryvreckan Whirlpool Viewpoint Walk
The walk to a viewpoint for the Corryvreckan Whirlpool, the great tidal race between the northern end of Jura and the island of Scarba, is a good one. From the northern end of the public road at Lealt you hike along a 4WD track past Barnhill to Kinuachdrachd Farm (6 miles). About 30m before the farm buildings a footpath forks left (there’s an inconspicuous wooden signpost low down) and climbs up the hillside before traversing rough and boggy ground to a point 50m above the northern tip of the island. A rocky slab makes a natural grandstand for viewing the turbulent waters of the Gulf of Corryvreckan; if you have timed it right (check tide times at the Jura Hotel), …
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