UKH

Considering a night or two at the bothy at Bendronaig lodge at the weekend. Obviously going to need plenty of fuel for the fire. Does anyone know if the stove takes (smokeless) coal? Or is it a wood-only job?

Any other useful intel? It's about 15 years since I was last there.

I was there last May but unfortunately know next to nothing about stoves and whether it would take coal. It was a cylindrical top-loading thing? Donated by the family of someone who sadly died in the hills nearby IIRC.

There were, however, plenty of fence posts provided by the estate in a damp lean-to at the end of the bothy, and a couple of fairly blunt/lethal saws hanging up by the door. Once started with a few drier bits we had a good fire going.

Other intel: was busy with Cape Wrath Trail folk when I was there (3 people first night, something like 10 the second) but imagine there won't be many passing through at the moment.

The estate have a notice up requesting you don't stay longer than 48h.

The toilet and sink are a godsend.

Plenty of snow in the area at the moment . Snow to sea level in Gairloch and Lochcarron

There’s a new track, which is very steep for a short stretch near the beginning. I can’t remember what type of stove there was, but we did take coal.

However, be warned. The obvious fireplace in the left hand room smoked our clothes out something awful. Took years for the smell to leave. There is a very small room on the right hand front, which gave a far more amenable experience.

This was 2005, neat stack of wood beside the stove.

Estate ask for wood only. Coal will burn the guts out of the pot belly, which is very much on its last legs, it already has holes in the sides. So care required.

The new tracks are an abomination, especially give how pleasant the old track and glen was. Complete and utter vandalism.

You,re right about the track. Bloody mess. At least it will have a covering of snow to hide the worst

You' ll certainly need a fire this weekend. - 6 in Gairloch last night and - 10 in Achnasheen a wee while ago.

A snowy Trotternish ridge and a snowy Cuilinn under a clear blue sky from my front window at the moment.

Did you make it to Bendronaig Lodge at the weekend.? I was on Sgurr Choinnich  and Sgurr a Chaorachain on Friday and the whole area was looking fantastic in the conditions.

I'm interested in whether you can provide more info re the track. I am involved with others in monitoring new/upgraded tracks in the Highlands particularly regarding whether they have planning consent and the quality of the work (or lack of it).

Do you have the rough OS co-ordinates of where it starts/finishes?

Does it appear to be a new track or an upgrade of an existing one?

Any photos?

Many thanks in advance

George

Probably the ones here around the new hydro scheme. Been there since at least 2018. 

https://www.bing.com/maps?osid=313b78c6-77ae-4d96-8337-b758339dbafa&cp=...

Was def there in March ‘18. Looked very new then.

I walked it in March ‘18. It pretty much follows the old track to Bendronaig Bothy.

Bit of both. One section nearest the start was really steep.

Just checked, sorry but I don’t. My mate, knowledgeable in such things, did say it was def connected to the hydro scheme. It was very new and hadn’t ‘greened over’. 

I've ones from 2008/2018/2021 which might show the changes in the terrain.

Thanks Graeme and also thanks to the rest of you who have responded. I've been in touch with the others involved in 'tracking' tracks on behalf of Scottish Environment LINK and it's clear now that we were aware of these and that the tracks are linked to hydro. Someone may have objected/commented at the time.

One of the problems with hydro is that the tracks are often more visually intrusive than the other infrastructure. They are often over-engineered and then not narrowed, or poorly restored, after the work is completed despite planning conditions to do just that. Same applies to the upgrading of existing tracks for new hydro. Planning authorities simply don't have the resources to check what is actually happening on the ground, contractors want in and out asap and many landowners seem quite happy with scars that blight the landscape.

'Tracking' tracks continues across the Highlands and we have had some successes, particularly in respect of ensuring higher quality of work, but it can be pretty dispiriting. The latest is a flood of applications for digital communication masts in remoter areas with associated tracks. This is part of a government mandated plan to ensure the almost all Scotland is covered for mobiles (even areas where this is no human habitation!). Because of the 'lumpy' terrain in the west, more applications can be expected there. In the last month or so, North East Mountain Trust has commented on/objected to four applications in the greater Grampian area. It is fairly likely they will all go ahead but we hope our interventions will ensure that the tracks are constructed to a high standard and their visual intrusion is as limited a possible.

Thanks again.

George 

I've sent you  an email. If it doesn't arrive, please let me know as some sort of flag appeared suggesting it might not have been delivered. Thanks