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West coast bothy to close

Wednesday 19th February 2020, 1:50pm


Ardnish Estate, the owners of Peanmeanach bothy, has decided to close the popular Peanmeanach Bothy, which sits on the shore of Loch Ailort about five kilometres from the Fort William to Mallaig road.

The estate has informed the Mountain Bothies Association, which maintains the bothy, that they have decided that the building will cease to be an open access bothy with effect from early October this year, when it will be locked. It will then be renovated by the estate and subsequently reopened and run by them on a not-for-profit basis as a keyed bookable bothy.

In its letter to the MBA the estate said its decision was based on problems it sees as arising from an increased number of visitors.

In a statement, the MBA said: "We are sorry to lose this popular bothy but would like to express our gratitude to the estate for allowing us to maintain Peanmeanach as an open access shelter since 1975."  

The exact closure date will be notified later.

The MBA is a charity, established in 1965, and with around 4,300 members. With the consent and support of their owners, it undertakes the restoration and maintenance of old cottages, huts and similar buildings throughout the wilder parts of Scotland, England and Wales for use as open shelters for walkers and other outdoor enthusiasts. It currently maintains 105 bothies and two emergency shelters, 86 in Scotland, 12 in northern England and 9 in Wales. The work of the Association was recognised by the award of the Queens Award for Voluntary Service in 2015.

Information about the work of the MBA and about Peanmeanach bothy can be found at www.mountainbothies.org.uk