Eairy Beg

Moderate - muscle stretcher

Distance:  This is a walk of 4.3 kilometres, about 3 miles.

Time:  2 to 2½ hours in duration.

It involves a climb through Eairy Beg plantation to the summit of The Beary. The going is generally good but has a moderately steep ascent and descent. It may be wet under foot in places and there will be some undergrowth in summer.

Participants should be generally fit and wear suitable outdoor footwear.

The route is not waymarked on the ground, but a detailed map (1:10,000 scale) is available from our St John's office or can be downloaded from this page.  Eight figure grid references for WayPoints (WPs) are listed below for GPS users. Satellite reception may be variable on the lower slopes. The distance between WayPoints is shown after each description.

Parking is available at Glen Helen car park (WP01)

  • From WP01 Go over small foot bridge on south side of car park, continue through gate and turn left. 90 metres to
  • WP02 Follow the public footpath signs up hill, behind house, into plantation. 220m to
  • WP03 Follow public footpath round to the right, stay on forest ride, gently up hill. 300m to
  • WP04 Turn left, follow forest ride on the level passing ruins of farmhouse on left. Do not enter building. Continue onwards. 350m to
  • WP05 Turn right and follow sod hedge directly up hill. Hedge will change to a dry stone wall. Continue upwards. 450m to
  • WP06 Pass through the gap and continue on the other side of the wall. Here the view opens over heather moorland. Follow the plantation edge. 450m to
  • WP07 Turn right and follow surfaced track through young plantation. 360m to
  • WP08 At highest point divert to summit cairn to enjoy panoramic views. Return to track and continue. 240m to
  • WP09 Bear right, in front of gate, and follow path between fence and trees. Turn right (WP09a), head downhill to corner. (Care should be taken as sections of this slope are steep) 550m to
  • WP10 Turn right into plantation, then left to follow sod hedge through trees down hill to forest ride. 170m to
  • WP11 Turn left and follow forest ride down and around bend(WP11a). Continue on this ride until you rejoin the route at an earlier point. 720m to
  • WP12 Turn left and retrace your steps back 430m to the car park at WP1.

 10 metre grid references

  • WP01 SC2950 8425  
  • WP02 SC2951 8420  
  • WP03 SC2965 8418  
  • WP04 SC2954 8391  
  • WP05 SC2988 8397  
  • WP06 SC3018 8364  
  • WP07 SC3034 8322  
  • WP08 SC3000 8334  
  • WP09 SC2975 8334  
  • WP09a SC2962 8332 
  • WP10 SC2935 8362  
  • WP11 SC2928 8375  
  • WP11a SC2918 8372 
  • WP12 SC2959 8407