Opinion: Why Scotland Needs Alpine Style Huts

© streapadair

In the run up to Scottish elections in May Ramblers Scotland launched a manifesto setting out ways to get more people walking, and protecting the places we love. One of their ideas has drawn particular attention in the media and online: the possibility of building networks of staffed huts in wild parts of the country, of the sort found in the Alps and elsewhere. So what's to be gained? How might it work? And would this threaten the hill-going experience as we know it? Head of Campaigns and Policy Helen Todd makes the case:


The campaign for the Holyrood elections in May is a good opportunity to raise the profile of outdoor recreation among politicians of all stripes. At Ramblers Scotland our vision is of a country where walking is part of everyone’s daily lives. To bring about this change in culture our manifesto for 2016 sets out a range of ideas, building on Scotland’s fantastic natural heritage and world-class access legislation. We've called for greater investment in path infrastructure and more promotion to encourage people to get outdoors. We’re also looking at better protection for landscapes and a third national park (in Harris), plus a new designation of National Recreation Areas to raise the profile of Scotland’s world-class recreation opportunities and help to manage the high numbers of visitors who could be attracted to these places.

Bordier hut, looking north to the Oberland.  © streapadair
Bordier hut, looking north to the Oberland.
© streapadair, Jul 2010

But one proposal in particular has caused a bit of a stir in the hill-going community - and not all of it positive. We'd like to see Scottish hut trails being established, routes based around purpose-built remote accommodation of the type found in many other countries. Not so much bothies as we know them, but rather huts with basic facilities, a warden and even catering. 

In the 1980s I walked around the coast of New Zealand’s South Island on the Abel Tasman national park trail and also did the Routeburn trail, staying in basic huts and just carrying a sleeping bag and food. I could never have had these experiences if I hadn’t been able to stay in huts. Why shouldn't there be an option for people to do this in Scotland?

When we aired the idea concerns were raised about the impact of new buildings on Scotland’s wild land; on the threat to the Scottish experience of being outdoors - based as it is on self-reliance and adventure - on the incursion of signage and built paths into more remote areas. And what about the risks to safety of ill-equipped people trying to find their way to the hut and being caught out in bad weather? In light of these comments I thought it would be good to set out what we had in mind – and what we didn’t.

"Hut trails would not replace the Scottish mountaineering experience or make all the countryside less wild. They would have to work within the Scottish context, learning from experience abroad like in New Zealand, the Alps and Norway, but not replicating these models"

Lavassey hut, on the path to Rifugio Chabod, Gran Paradiso, Italy  © Ben Tibbetts
Lavassey hut, on the path to Rifugio Chabod, Gran Paradiso, Italy
© Ben Tibbetts

First of all, Ramblers Scotland is not a landowner and we don’t manage trails, so this is just an idea we are putting out there for others to consider. Any hut trails would have to work within the Scottish context, learning from experience abroad like in New Zealand, the Alps and Norway, but not replicating these models. We are keen to explore this idea with others and would welcome a chance to sit round the table with a mix of community, public sector and recreation bodies to discuss further how it could work and any likely locations for such an initiative. 

Scotland’s existing long distance routes have been specifically designed to go through settlements and bring economic benefits to those communities, so the stages tend to be walkable in one-day sections. However, at some point along the route there could be the potential for a two-day loop away from the main track with one overnight stop in a hut, in an initiative developed by that local community and with appropriate management of the hut. It may only make sense to open the hut in the summer months, with the option for larger groups to rent it out at other times. Lots of our long distance routes are community initiatives – the Kintyre Way, East Highland Way – developed because local people saw the benefits of attracting walkers to their areas, so why shouldn’t there also be an option for a circular hut trail of 2-3 days if the community is able to develop it? The planning system is there to make sure any development would be subject to public scrutiny. 

Scotland does of course have numerous bothies and these will remain as options for overnight accommodation. The amazing people you meet in bothies, the wide-ranging conversations around the fire with a dram in hand, and the shelter from the weather they provide are all valued elements of Scottish outdoors culture. But frankly bothies don’t suit everyone. They only offer very basic shelter, and you can’t guarantee being able to squeeze into the bothy, or that the people already there are congenial.

The Sciora Hut, North ridge of Badile in background  © Rick Asher
The Sciora Hut, North ridge of Badile in background
© Rick Asher, Jul 2011

"There are dozens of derelict buildings in our glens, so why shouldn’t a few of these come back into use? Let’s not forget these areas used to be full of people and it’s our current land ownership patterns which have led to the empty landscapes we now experience" 

Likewise, camping is also an option for the long distance walker but it’s quite an investment to buy gear if you are starting from scratch and aren’t sure if you’ll like it, especially lightweight gear, and some people may not be able to carry a heavy pack for long distances. Some tourists may not come to Scotland with all their camping equipment but nevertheless would be keen to get into remote areas overnight. And the joys of summer camping rather pall when you’re faced with swarms of midges and you’re stuck inside your tent from early evening, every evening.

As for the threat posed to our wild land by developing huts - we campaigned alongside other organisations to protect wild land, so we’re hardly likely to call for new developments to be constructed at high altitude in these areas. However, there are dozens of derelict buildings in our glens, so why shouldn’t a few of these come back into use, or new, minimal impact wooden structures be constructed in their place? Let’s not forget these areas used to be full of people and it’s our current land ownership patterns which have led to the empty landscapes we now experience. It’s unlikely many traditional sporting estates will be keen to sell land to local communities for hut development, but if communities buy land then why shouldn’t they be able to develop a hut trail, if they can find a strong business case to do so? 

Each hut could be unique and very special in its own way, from the very basic through to the more comfortable, depending on community interest and the funding available in each case. It would be great, for instance, to see the use of small-scale renewables and energy efficiency measures to provide a cosy building with low running costs. 

Hut trails would not replace the Scottish mountaineering experience or make all the countryside less wild, and we are certainly not in a position to develop these trails ourselves. However, as a charity which promotes walking for all, we do see them as giving another option to some people who may not otherwise have the opportunity to experience staying in remote places away from roads. Along with the other ideas in our manifesto, hut trails are a way of encouraging more people into our beautiful countryside. We hope the politicians are listening. 

 

UKH Articles and Gear Reviews by Helen Todd - Ramblers Scotland




11 Mar, 2016
I suppose they could be of benefit if located correctly, the CIC hut on the Ben is good and works well providing easy access to the surrounding climbing. From a weekend climbers point of view having a place to stay nearer a crag is a big plus, particularly if there's a long walk in. On the other hand there are few locations where this is really the biggest issue, maybe Torridon, and often going to these locations is about being in the wild with no buildings as far as the eye can see. I would rather see some higher bothies similar to the bivouacs in the alps, un-catered, few bunks, fairly well hidden and located close to popular ascents and descents. These could be used as emergency shelters by those caught out. Maybe I'm stingy but I wouldn't pay the price of the alps as taking overnight food in Scotland is less problematic with altitude being lower, however leaving a tent behind and staying high I can see as a real plus. I can imagine for groups this would be a real plus and could work similar to the Tour du Mont Blanc. Maybe this is a good way to bring more people into the activities we all love. A difficult debate with lots of positives and negatives to be discussed.
11 Mar, 2016
I thought this was a reasonable idea until you mentioned the CIC hut.
31 Mar, 2016
Anything that makes Scotland smaller should be resisted. We just don't have enough wild country to be making holes in it with easier access of any sort. You can already make delightful wild country expeditions (and I do) using youth hostels (SYHA and independent), ancient inns, remote B&Bs, – and of course camping/bivvying out/bothies. If there were a proposal today to build the CIC hut I'm sure I wouldn't be the only person fiercely resisting it. It's there, and it's traditional, and I'm certainly not advocating burning it down. But there shouldn't be any more. Where were you thinking of anyway? Loch Avon? The Corrie of Lochnagar? Coire Mhic Fhearchair of Beinn Eighe?
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