Beinn Narnain (sometimes anglicised as ''Ben Narnain'') is a
mountain
A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited Summit (topography), summit area, and ...
in the southern
Highlands
Highland is a broad term for areas of higher elevation, such as a mountain range or mountainous plateau.
Highland, Highlands, or The Highlands, may also refer to:
Places Albania
* Dukagjin Highlands
Armenia
* Armenian Highlands
Australia
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of
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
, near
Arrochar. It forms part of a group of hills known (unofficially) as the
Arrochar Alps
The Arrochar Alps are a group of mountains located around the head of Loch Long, Loch Fyne, and Loch Goil, near the villages of Arrochar and Lochgoilhead, on the Cowal Peninsula in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The mountains are especially popular w ...
, and is a
Munro
A Munro () is defined as a mountain in Scotland with a height over , and which is on the Scottish Mountaineering Club (SMC) official list of Munros; there is no explicit topographical prominence requirement. The best known Munro is Ben Nevis ...
. The name Beinn Narnain means "hill of notches", and describes the mountain's notched profile.
![Ben Narnain from Beinn Ime](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/Ben_Narnain_from_Beinn_Ime.jpg)
Beinn Narnain is usually climbed from
Succoth at the head of Loch Long. The most commonly used route starts by climbing directly up the hillside, following a line of concrete blocks that were originally supports for a cable railway used during the construction of watercourse diversions forming part of the Loch Sloy
hydro-electric
Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined an ...
scheme
(Until the construction of new path, this was also the route towards
The Cobbler
The Cobbler ( gd, Beinn Artair) is an mountain located near the head of Loch Long in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is a Corbett, and is an important site for rock climbing in the Southern Highlands. Many maps include the name Ben Arthur (an an ...
). At one point the path crosses a level track, and one must continue by climbing some exposed rock immediately opposite - this appears to be part of the stream bed and not the path.
Where the concrete blocks cease, the path continues up Beinn Narnain's craggy south ridge. There are several mild
scrambling
Scrambling is a mountaineering term for ascending steep terrain using one's hands to assist in holds and balance.''New Oxford American Dictionary''. It is also used to describe terrain that falls between hiking and rock climbing (as a “scramb ...
sections, which provide an enjoyable experience for the casual walker. The route bypasses some impressive and, when shrouded in mist at least, apparently almost impassable crags – "The Spearhead" – by means of a steep gully immediately before the summit. The final stages of the climb include some mild exposure, but this should not intimidate a hillwalker of even limited experience.
Beinn Narnain's northern ridge drops down to the Bealach a' Mhàim, a three-sided
bealach
A mountain pass is a navigable route through a mountain range or over a ridge. Since many of the world's mountain ranges have presented formidable barriers to travel, passes have played a key role in trade, war, and both human and animal migrati ...
with other ridges leading to The Cobbler and
Beinn Ìme
Beinn Ìme () is the highest mountain in the Arrochar Alps of Argyll, in the Southern Scottish Highlands, Highlands of Scotland. It reaches , making it a Munro.
There are three usual routes of ascent. From Succoth, Argyll and Bute, Succoth, one ...
. An ascent of Beinn may thus easily be extended to give a longer day on the Arrochar Alps.
References
Mountains and hills of the Southern Highlands
Marilyns of Scotland
Mountains and hills of Argyll and Bute
Munros
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