Blà Bheinn

Blà Bheinn
Blaven
From the east
Highest point
Elevation	929 m (3,048 ft)
Prominence	862 m (2,828 ft) Ranked 19th in British Isles
Parent peak	Sgurr Alasdair
Listing	Munro, Marilyn
Coordinates	57°13′11.76″N 6°5′28.03″W
Naming
English translation	blue mountain
Language of name	Norse/Gaelic
Pronunciation	Scottish Gaelic: [ˈpl̪ˠaːveɲ]
Geography
Blà Bheinn Location on Skye
Location	Skye, Scotland
Parent range	Cuillin (outlier)
OS grid	NG530217
Topo map	OS Landranger 32

Blà Bheinn or Blàbheinn, 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 929 metres (3,048 ft). 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 Blà Bheinn is thought to mean "blue mountain", from a combination of Norse and Gaelic. Whereas blå in Modern Norwegian means "blue", the Old Norse word 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. 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.

• 
  Blàbheinn from the east
• 
  The mountain from three sides

In popular culture

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

External links

• Blaven.com
• John Muir Trust Archived 3 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine