“We looked out early next morning and shouted with joy when we saw the high Cuillin clear to their tops and the great peaks piercing a sky still aglow in the blue of a rising sun.” (Ben Humble’s Walking Wisdom in Skye). After such changeable weather this summer how lucky we were with the weather for our September trustees’ meeting at the hut. There was just enough time in between jobs to squeeze in some fine climbs and walks, including the classic Window Buttress, and Arrow Route Direct and Archer-Thompson’s Route on the Cioch.
At our meeting we considered work that will need to be done to the hut over the coming months and years. Some aspects of hut maintenance and administration are challenging due to its relatively remote location and we are extremely grateful to our volunteers and other friends of the hut who do so much to overcome these difficulties. Amongst recent work carried out, we have had our fencing repaired, new kitchen taps installed and dealt with an unpleasant and avoidable drains blockage (no wet wipes even if marked as flushable!). Looking to the future, it seems we may now have a solution for installing WiFi; the practicalities and necessities of modern communications are such that this has now become expected, although some of us, and perhaps you, will lament the change this will bring to the atmosphere in the hut. Hut fees will stay the same for the foreseeable future.
We hope you will find the hut a comfortable base for your Cuillin adventures – don’t forget you can stay year-round – check the bookings page on the website for the latest availability if conditions this winter look good!
This year we were able to make a donation to the Martin Moran Foundation which offers fully-funded mountain adventure places to 16-18 year olds who have a passion for the mountains but may not have the support and financial resources to access them. Our constitution’s purposes include clauses related to education in mountain safety and to encouraging young and disadvantaged persons to experience the hills and mountains under recognised supervision and we are pleased to be able to support the work the MMF is doing to achieve this.