The Smiddy
The Smiddy is located at the roadside in Dundonnell (near Ullapool), 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.
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,
seven miles SW of
Newtonmore.
The hut is well-equipped and has sleeping space for 10 people,
on alpine style bunks with mattresses.
A considerable amount of conversion work has been undertaken recently,
including creating a new car park and access path, together with a
major interior refit.
[The club received funding from Awards for All and the Scottish Mountaineering Trust for some of this work.]
The hut is well placed for mountaineering activities in the Central Highlands 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 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.
- OS map Google map
- Further details
- Photos of the hut as it now is.
-
Some history and photos
of the hut during the renovation
(the Feb 2009 photos also include lots of wintry views of the surrounding area).