Three Beinns Horseshoe

 | Overview

Technical Rating

Moderate  

Easy scrambling, elements of exposure, some rough terrain.

Endurance Rating

3  

Sustained steep ascents and descents, long-distance, stamina required, suitable for fit walkers. Have you had recent experience of walking for 6-8 hours? Have you recently walked up (and down) a mountain of over 1000m (3000ft) in height without physical distress? Do you regularly play an aerobic sport pretty much every week? If your answer is "No", we'd guess you'd be happier doing a walk rated a level lower than the one you’ve just read! As noted previously, we're into FUN so we don't want you to miss out by overdoing it.

 | Photo Gallery

 | Walk description

The route takes you steeply up the side of the Garbh Allt burn, flattens out across moorland before the path heads uphill again, threading around and over boulders and slabs to reach the summit of Beinn Nuis, the first of the Three Beinns. From there, the walk follows the ridge round to Beinn Tarsuinn, now gently undulating. Look out for the Old Man of Tarsuinn on the right, an outcrop naturally sculpted into a human profile and appearing to look out to sea over Brodick.

There is then a steep descent to Bealach an Fhir-bhogha with some scrambling and negotiation of substantial boulders before the path becomes a grassy ridge up to Beinn a’Chliabhain. Once around the ridges and tops the walk then moves back down onto moorland and back down the Garbh Allt burn to finish. Keep your eyes open for birds and wildlife as you go, eagles and ravens are often to be seen and heard on this walk, either soaring high in the thermals or playing wildly over the ridges and drops. Red deer are abundant on Arran, expect to see them on the moors and especially in Coire a’Bhradain.

 | Advised Kit List