Garbh Choire bothy

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 nicnic 01 Mar 2017
Anyone stayed in the Garbh Choire bothy recently? Is it still standing but a bit leaky?
 d_b 01 Mar 2017
In reply to nicnic:
I had a look at it but didn't stay there back in December. It was still standing, and had a door.

The door was just propped up against the door frame though - not attached.

Don't know if you can see this, but here's a picture:

https://scontent-cdg2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/15626198_220681145046705_629...
Post edited at 14:38
 leon 1 01 Mar 2017
In reply to nicnic: If you go in there in the next week or so could you let me know if its still habitable or if its full of snow as it was last time I tried to stay there ?
Thanks

 OMR 01 Mar 2017
In reply to nicnic:

Got to be hardy or desperate to stay in the Garbh Choire Refuge these days. Especially since Corrour, with its insulation, fire and toilet, is just around the corner.
 planetmarshall 01 Mar 2017
In reply to nicnic:

> Anyone stayed in the Garbh Choire bothy recently? Is it still standing but a bit leaky?

Not for a couple of years. 'Bothy' is pushing it a bit, more of an emergency shelter, really. It's often completely buried at this time of year, though given recent conditions I doubt that's the case now.
 carr0t 01 Mar 2017
In reply to nicnic:

I was there last summer and it did not look amazing. door is a bit of lean to situation and im not sure it keeps even the weather out. youll probably be alright-ish with a warm enough bag and potentially a bivvy bag, but it wont be amazing. basically as described by davidbeynon.
 OwenM 01 Mar 2017
In reply to nicnic:

Pasted it last November, I camped.
 ScraggyGoat 01 Mar 2017
In reply to OwenM:
Staying in Garbh Corrie versus corrour does make sense in terms of time saving and accessibility to the crags. Plus depending on who's round the fire at Corrour more chance of some kip! However the refuge is very small thus if there is another party you will have a very long night.

Hence I've always taken a tent, or at least a bivvy bag, Having said that the corries have always virtually been deserted the times I have made the effort.

Feels a world away from the Northern Corries. Had a great trip once when after a day's climbing and dinner the moon came up do we went for a night time walk round Braeraich and Carn Toul in a wonderful monochrome winter wonderland, while a thick cloud inversion built below us.
Post edited at 23:02
 S Andrew 03 Mar 2017
In reply to nicnic:

It is tiny. Sleeps about 3. Been twice, got in once..
 Andy Nisbet 03 Mar 2017
In reply to S Andrew:

> It is tiny. Sleeps about 3. Been twice, got in once..

I've been in it with 9 others. Then late at night in a blizzard another two arrived in a state of exhaustion. They had to join us. Easter 1978 I think.
 Doug 04 Mar 2017
In reply to Andy Nisbet:

11 must have been a bit of a squash, but I spend a couple of nights with 5 which wasn't too bad although it probably helped that although two groups (2 & 3) we all knew each other. Shame if its no longer usable, I have some good memories of staying there back in the late 70s & 80s & it was well placed for the climbs in the corrie
 Simon Caldwell 06 Mar 2017
In reply to Doug:

Anyone know if there's been any movement on the proposed consultation about the bothy's future? Last I heard it was due to be announced (the consultation that is) in early 2015, but I've not seen anything since.
https://cairngormwanderer.wordpress.com/2014/11/03/mar-lodge-estate-news-an...
 somethingelse 06 Mar 2017
In reply to Simon Caldwell:

Also interested in this thread re: current state of bothy, anyone been by recently?
 OMR 06 Mar 2017
In reply to Simon Caldwell:

The only movement has been that the consultation has been being pushed back and back. The crew who have renovated other Cairngorm bothies are keen to get to work, but estate is just delaying things. Happy enough to help in other areas, but they seem to have a real bee in their bonnet about the Garbh Choire.
 d_b 06 Mar 2017
In reply to Andy Nisbet:
I'm pretty sure I read about that incident in a book somewhere. Were the two looking for the Sinclair hut or something?
Post edited at 09:41
 Andy Nisbet 06 Mar 2017
In reply to davidbeynon:

> I'm pretty sure I read about that incident in a book somewhere. Were the two looking for the Sinclair hut or something?

You might have read about it in Richard McHardy's book. They had gone to the Corrour bothy and been turned away because it was full. Not as full as the Garbh Choire bothy, but they'd reached the end of their line.
 Horse 06 Mar 2017
In reply to somethingelse:

> Also interested in this thread re: current state of bothy, anyone been by recently?

I walked in and out (from the Sugar Bowl) last Thursday and it seemed in reasonable nick, at least compared to El Alamein I had visited the day before. The door was off but not much snow had got in, that may have changed over the weekend. It provided good shelter from the wind outside and the bench a comfy perch for lunch. I'd imagine it would provide a tolerable doss for a night but I'd take a bivy bag. Fine location.
OP nicnic 07 Mar 2017
In reply to nicnic:

Thank you for all for your replies. And for correcting my misunderstanding about the definition of bothy.

We ended up staying at the Corrour Bothy on Saturday night, as we met another guy who was heading up to the Garbh Choire shelter, and we thought 3 might be a squash. Although that was before we realised we'd be 8 at Corrour. And before I'd read the above about 11 having once squeezed in at Garbh Choire!

We did go up to have a look at it the following day, and we spoke to our friend who stayed the night. The door is off the hinges and there was some snow in there, and signs of gaps. The guy who stayed there said it was very breezy and some snow got in overnight. But as others said previously, I think you'd be ok with a decent sleeping bag and a bivvi. A stunning place to be of course if the cloud is high enough.

We also bumped into the Cairngorm Wanderer before we got there, wandering about in the Cairngorms, appropriately enough. I asked about whether there had been any movement on the landowner allowing the shelter to be repaired and he said nothing has changed since that 2014 post on his blog. Essentially, he said, the owners believe that having a shelter there detracts from its status as one of the wildest spots in Britain. However the response to that is that the main way it detracts is in the make shift ways people have tried to block the gaps (plastic sheets, bits of tent), and that a proper renovation would deal with that.

I'd also like to say a big thank you to those who renovated the Hutchinson's bothy and put in the fire. And left the fairy lights!
 Kimberley 08 Mar 2017
In reply to nicnic:

Just for the record, to the best of my knowledge the land owner is the RSPB...
 Doug 08 Mar 2017
In reply to Kimberley:

isn't it NTS ?
 OMR 08 Mar 2017
In reply to Doug:

Yes, it's on Mar Lodge Estate, which is owned by NTS.
 Andy Nisbet 08 Mar 2017
In reply to Doug:

Yes, it's NTS. The SMC were in favour of renovating the bothy, so were the MCofS. The MBA were willing to do it. But the NTS weren't keen. They said they'd consider it, which seems to have meant hoping it would fall down and disappear.
 allanscott 08 Mar 2017
In reply to Doug:

Or possibly Rothiemurchus Estate (see Heading for the Scottish Hills stalking info)?
 Doug 08 Mar 2017
In reply to Andy Nisbet:

Can you remember if the Lairig club (I think they were responsible) had permission to build it (1960s) or restore it (late1970s/early80s) ?

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