Club huts

Coronavirus

The Coronavirus pandemic is clearly having a terrible impact across society, and sadly our club's activities are also affected.

Due to the pandemic the committee has taken the decision to suspend the use of our two huts until further notice. This follows the closure of SMC, FRCC and CC huts, and is based on advice from the Government, and from Mountaineering Scotland and the BMC   (for example, see:   here,   here,   and   here).
The huts require communal sleeping, living and cooking in small spaces - making them high risk places. We will continually review this policy in the coming months, based on official advice.

Bookings
No new bookings are currently being taken.

If you have alread made a booking and have paid a deposit for the booking then:

  • we can return this if you wish;
  • you can leave it with us and make a new booking when the huts reopen.

Please let the hut custodian know which option you would prefer.
If you wish us to return your deposit, we will send you a cheque. Please inform the custodian of a suitable payee for the cheque and a full postal address to send it to.

The club has two huts in the highlands - The Smiddy and The Cabin. These are available to be booked by both members (+guests) and by non-members (and by non-mountaineers!).
For non-members (including guests of members), the cost is £10 per person, per night.
To book either hut, contact the respective hut custodian, as described in the hut 'details' links on the left.
NB: to ensure that there is space available, members must book, as well as non-members - see the hut booking policy.

The Cabin availability can be viewed on the Cabin booking calendar.

The Smiddy     

The Smiddy is located at the roadside in Dundonnell, near Ullapool in North West Scotland. It is situated at the head of Little Loch Broom, beneath An Teallach. Recently renovated with a new fitted kitchen, the Smiddy still retains much of its character, including a great fire and a split Saltire door. There is sleeping space for 10 people, on alpine style bunks with mattresses.

The hut provides an excellent base for superb climbing and walking in the North-West:

Climbing: information about local climbing, including a multitude of recently developed nearby traditional and sports crags can be found at Wild West Topos. You can order topos from here (and so help support the bolt fund).
Also:
some free local topos (also with details of how to support the bolt fund);
a topo for Glutton Crag.

If it happens to be raining there is a new climbing wall in the Gairloch leisure centre (opening times etc. are on their Facebook page).

Walking: An Teallach is within walking distance, while the Fannaichs and the Fisherfield Forest are virtually on the doorstep. Kinlochewe (for Beinn Eighe and Torridon) is 50 miles away.

The Cabin     



The Cabin is pleasantly situated on a wooded hillside above the small hamlet of Balgowan. It is 1 mile E of Laggan, and about 7 miles SW of Newtonmore and 7 miles NW of Dalwhinnie, off the A9, just north of Drumochter. The hut is well-equipped and has sleeping space for 10 people, 8 on alpine style bunks and 2 on a twin bunk in an adjoining small bedroom, all supplied with mattresses and pillows.

The hut is well placed for mountaineering or other activities in the Central Highlands, Ben Nevis and the Cairngorms.

Climbing: Creag Dhubh, perhaps Scotland's best roadside crag, is 3 miles away, while Binnein Shuas, home to the classic Ardverickie Wall, is about 15 miles away; the Northern Corries, Creag Meagaidh, Ben Nevis and Glen Nevis (Polldubh) are also within easy striking range.

Walking: a host of Munros are nearby, with the Monadhliaths on the doorstep, and Ben Nevis, the Cairngorms, the Grey Corries, the Mamores, the Aonachs and the Creag Meagaidh and Ben Alder groups all less than an hour's drive away.

Skiing: for downhill skiing, Cairngorm (Aviemore) is 33 miles away (with over 30 km of ski runs) and Nevis range is 35 miles away (with 12 lifts, including Scotland's only mountain gondola).
There are also extensive options for ski touring in the area.

Mountain biking: there are a lot of mountain biking possibilities in the area. For instance, there is an extensive network of landrover tracks in the area between Loch Laggan and Loch Ericht (SW of Dalwhinnie).
For more technical biking, the Laggan Wolftrax mountain bike trails are 1.5 miles away! The onsite Basecamp has bike hire, and sales.

There is more information about the area on the Laggan community web-site.