Is Glas Bheinn a hard climb?

Glas Bheinn is rated 2/5 (moderate) on the OutdoorSCOT scale. Ground conditions: Pale quartzite scree and slabs above; deep heather and bog below.

How much drop does Glas Bheinn have?

The drop is 279m: measured from the summit of Glas Bheinn down to the saddle joining it to higher terrain. Passing the 150m-drop threshold on all sides is exactly what makes it a Marilyn.

What's the best month to climb Glas Bheinn?

Aim for March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October on Glas Bheinn. In the remaining months treat it as a winter hill — full kit, solid navigation, and a look at the relevant SAIS avalanche forecast before you go.

Can dogs go up Glas Bheinn?

Dogs are fine on a lead. The route passes livestock or ground-nesting bird habitat, so keep them close throughout.

How do I get the ferry to Glas Bheinn?

Kennacraig → Port Askaig (Islay) then Port Askaig → Feolin (Jura). Islay: check the CalMac summer timetable. Jura ferry: check the Argyll & Bute summer timetable in summer; Winter 2026/27: Islay 3–5 CalMac sailings a day each way; Jura ferry 16 departures Mon–Sat, 6 on Sunday in winter. Two ferries required: CalMac Kennacraig → Port Askaig (about 1h55), then Argyll & Bute Council's turn-up-and-go Jura ferry (vehicles and foot passengers) from Port Askaig to Feolin. No car needed once on Jura for the Paps.

By the OutdoorSCOT editor

Photo: Trevor Littlewood / CC BY-SA 2.0 via Geograph

Submit a photo

Marilyn · Argyll & Bute

Glas Bheinn

Glas Bheinn — the Grey-Green Hill — sits at 562m on southern Jura just inland from the Sound of Islay. Quartzite slabs catch the light from miles away, lending the hill a paler, almost alpine look amid the heather wilderness.

Gaelic: “grey-green” · Pronunciation: glass bheinn

Quick facts

Height: 562m/ 1844ft
Prominence: 279 m
Difficulty: 2 / 5Moderate
Grid ref: NR 50038 69895
Dogs: Dogs on lead required near livestockDog-friendly guide ↗

Height and prominence cross-checked against the Database of British and Irish Hills (CC BY).

No GPX track yet

Walked this route? Share your track to help other walkers.

Submit your GPX

Standard route

quartzite moorland 45% · heather moorland 35% · boggy ground 20%

GPX needed

Elevation profile coming with the GPX track

Begin from the A846 near Keils and follow open moorland north-west, gaining height steadily over awkward ground. The summit lies on the third or fourth false top. Round trip 5-6 hours.

Terrain

Pale quartzite scree and slabs above; deep heather and bog below. Some of the scree shifts underfoot and demands care on descent.

In winter

Snow flecking the quartzite slabs is unusual but striking when it occurs. Winter access is feasible in calm weather; gales make the exposed upper slopes uncomfortable.

Kit for this: the winter Munro kit list · which boots take crampons

Outside the SAIS network. No Scottish Avalanche Information Service forecast covers Glas Bheinn. SAIS forecasts six areas only — Northern and Southern Cairngorms, Creag Meagaidh, Lochaber, Glencoe and Torridon — and this hill is outside all of them, so there is no avalanche forecast to read for it. In winter, use MWIS West Highlands ↗ for mountain weather, judge snow stability from first principles, and treat any cornice or wind-loaded slope with extra caution.

Best time of year

Best OK Avoid

Getting there

Glasgow5h 31m
Edinburgh7h 16m

Ferry access

Kennacraig → Port Askaig (Islay) then Port Askaig → Feolin (Jura)

Crossing time115 min
Summer sailingsIslay: check the CalMac summer timetable. Jura ferry: check the Argyll & Bute summer timetable
Winter sailingsWinter 2026/27: Islay 3–5 CalMac sailings a day each way; Jura ferry 16 departures Mon–Sat, 6 on Sunday
Last ferry backWinter 2026/27: last Jura ferry leaves Port Askaig 18:30 and turns round quickly at Feolin; last CalMac sailing from Port Askaig 17:25–18:05. Check both timetables

Two ferries required: CalMac Kennacraig → Port Askaig (about 1h55), then Argyll & Bute Council's turn-up-and-go Jura ferry (vehicles and foot passengers) from Port Askaig to Feolin. No car needed once on Jura for the Paps.

Book on ferry operator ↗

OS maps: OS Landranger 61, OS Explorer 355S

Mobile signal: Very poor. Jura; limited coverage away from Craighouse.

Current conditions

Daylight Today

10h 11mwalking daylight

Sunrise: 07:42
Sunset: 16:33
Civil dawn: 07:02
Civil dusk: 17:13

NOAA Solar Calculator · 7 November 2026

Got a photo of Glas Bheinn?

30 seconds, helps other walkers.

Submit a photo

Walked it with a GPX?

From your watch or phone.

Submit GPX

Trip report?

Share what it was actually like.

Get in touch →

Around Glas Bheinn on the SCOT network

Getting there, basing yourself, and what to do off the hill.

On TripSCOT

town

Base yourself in Campbeltown

Kintyre Way finish; Mull of Kintyre; whisky town

54km from the hill

tripscot.co.uk

On TasteSCOT

distillery

After the hill: Jura

Craighouse on Jura — island distillery in a single-street village

4km from the hill

tastescot.co.uk

Before you go

Hillwalking carries real risk and the responsibility for any day on the hill is yours. Conditions in Scotland change fast and can differ sharply from the forecast — check the weather and the ground before you commit, turn back when the day stops working, and carry map and compass with the ability to use them rather than relying on a phone.

Mountain forecasts: MWIS and the Met Office mountain forecast. In winter also read the avalanche forecast from SAIS, and know that a hill outside their six forecast areas has no avalanche forecast at all — not that it has no avalanche risk. Access rights and responsibilities are set out in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.

We check what we publish, but we cannot check the route on the day you walk it. Nothing here is a substitute for your own judgement.

Glas Bheinn — common questions

Is Glas Bheinn a hard climb?: Glas Bheinn is rated 2/5 (moderate) on the OutdoorSCOT scale. Ground conditions: Pale quartzite scree and slabs above; deep heather and bog below.
How much drop does Glas Bheinn have?: The drop is 279m: measured from the summit of Glas Bheinn down to the saddle joining it to higher terrain. Passing the 150m-drop threshold on all sides is exactly what makes it a Marilyn.
What's the best month to climb Glas Bheinn?: Aim for March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October on Glas Bheinn. In the remaining months treat it as a winter hill — full kit, solid navigation, and a look at the relevant SAIS avalanche forecast before you go.
Can dogs go up Glas Bheinn?: Dogs are fine on a lead. The route passes livestock or ground-nesting bird habitat, so keep them close throughout.
Will I get phone signal on Glas Bheinn?: Very poor. Jura; limited coverage away from Craighouse.
How do I get the ferry to Glas Bheinn?: Kennacraig → Port Askaig (Islay) then Port Askaig → Feolin (Jura). Islay: check the CalMac summer timetable. Jura ferry: check the Argyll & Bute summer timetable in summer; Winter 2026/27: Islay 3–5 CalMac sailings a day each way; Jura ferry 16 departures Mon–Sat, 6 on Sunday in winter. Two ferries required: CalMac Kennacraig → Port Askaig (about 1h55), then Argyll & Bute Council's turn-up-and-go Jura ferry (vehicles and foot passengers) from Port Askaig to Feolin. No car needed once on Jura for the Paps.
Is Glas Bheinn safe in winter?: Snow flecking the quartzite slabs is unusual but striking when it occurs. Winter access is feasible in calm weather; gales make the exposed upper slopes uncomfortable.

Get the OutdoorSCOT weekly

One email a week — new route, hill and bothy guides, seasonal conditions and the odd hard-won lesson. No spam, unsubscribe in one click.