Blà Bheinn Explained

Blà Bheinn
Other Name:Blaven
Elevation M:929
Elevation Ref:[1]
Prominence M:862
Prominence Ref:
Ranked 19th in British Isles
Parent Peak:Sgurr Alasdair
Translation:blue mountain
Language:Norse/Gaelic
Pronunciation:in Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic ˈpl̪ˠaːveɲ/
Location:Skye, Scotland
Coordinates:57.2199°N -6.0911°W
Map:Scotland Isle of Skye
Label Position:left
Listing:Munro, Marilyn
Range:Cuillin (outlier)
Grid Ref Uk:NG530217
Topo:OS Landranger 32

Blà Bheinn or Blàbheinn,[2] also known as Blaven, is a mountain on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. It is usually regarded as an outlier of the Black Cuillin range. It is a Munro with a height of . North of the summit is the ridge of Clach Glas, which leads to the peaks of Garbh-bheinn (808 m) and Sgùrr nan Each (720 m). It is mainly composed of gabbro, a rock with excellent grip for mountaineers and scramblers.

The name Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: Blà Bheinn is thought to mean "blue mountain", from a combination of Norse and Gaelic. Whereas Norwegian: blå in Modern Norwegian means "blue", the Old Norse word Norse, Old: blá could, however, also refer to the colours blue-black and black.

The normal route of ascent for walkers is from the east. A path leaves the B8083 on the shores of Loch Slapin about 4 km after the village of Torrin. The path follows a burn, the Allt na Dunachie, into the corrie of Coire Uaigneich. From here a short steep route along the ridge leads to the summit. A small amount of scrambling is needed to reach the true top of the mountain.[3] Alternative routes follow the south ridge, or come from the north having traversed the Clach Glas ridge which links to the Red Cuillin peaks.

Blaven stands in the Strathaird Estate, owned and managed since 1994 by the John Muir Trust.

In popular culture

Blaven is depicted in Mary Stewart's 1956 thriller novel Wildfire at Midnight.

References

  1. Web site: Blà Bheinn (Blaven) . . 2019 . Hill Bagging - the online version of the Database of British and Irish Hills (DoBIH) . 19 June 2019.
  2. Web site: Bla Bheinn/Blaven . Ainmean-Àite na h-Alba

    Gaelic Place-Names of Scotland

    .
  3. Book: The islands of Scotland including Skye. Fabian, D.J.. Scottish Mountaineering Trust. 1989. 0-907521-23-1.

External links