Hill Walking Club
About Us
Background
Based in Aberdeen, the Club was founded in 1887 and is the oldest and one of the largest hillwalking and climbing club in Scotland. Its coat-of-arms was granted in 1965. Its objectives are to encourage mountaineering, with special reference to the Cairngorm mountains; to promote competence, safety, knowledge and responsibility of attitude amongst mountaineers; to offer opportunities to engage in that pursuit in company with others; to impart information concerning mountains; to keep under review rights of access to Scottish mountains; and to issue publications. Its members have from time to time included a number of climbers of repute, but most are simply hillwalkers with interests ranging from cross-country walks, through more strenuous hillwalking (and unashamed Munro-bagging), to serious rock and ice-climbing.
Projects
The Club has undertaken a number of projects, such as the erection of summit indicators, e.g. on Lochnagar in 1924 and Ben Macdhui in 1925, and of bridges, e.g. over the Druie on the Lairig Ghru track (OS grid ref. NH.927078) in 1912 and the Luibeg (NO 013942) in 1948. To mark its centenary in 1987, it established a 1.72 ha woodland regeneration area, known as Piper’s Wood, in the middle of Glen Ey (NO 098857), and in 1995 the Club undertook the repair of the worst-eroded parts of the footpath into Coire Etchachan.
In 2012, as part of its 125-year celebrations, the Club funded access and waymarking at the Pass of Ballater, and in 2013 the Piper’s Wood area was approximately doubled in size.
In 2015, a further area was fenced off against deer at Altanour at the end of Glen Ey (at NO 083823).
Accommodation: Muir Cottage
The Club ‘hut’, known as Muir of Inverey, is situated at OS grid reference NO076896 some 8 kilometres west of Braemar, on the north side of the Linn of Dee road. It is available for use by Club members and guests accompanying them and also by members of other recognised climbing clubs, with whom it is much in demand for weekends throughout the year. Bookings must be made to the Huts Booking Secretary, and early booking is always advisable
Further information.
The Club hut, also known as Muir of Inverey, is situated on the north side of the Linn of Dee road, some 8 kilometres west of Braemar, about 1 kilometre beyond the bridge over the River Ey, shortly before the road approaches the River Dee (OS grid reference NO 076896).
It is available for use by Club members and guests accompanying them, by members of other recognised mountaineering clubs, with whom it is much in demand throughout the year, and also by 50+ groups and special needs groups.
The accommodation comprises a common room in the original stone building, a kitchen in a side extension, and four bedrooms, three washrooms (all with a shower cubicle, and one equipped for disabled users), a members’ room, and a drying room in the wooden extension. The kitchen is equipped with two electric cookers (4-ring ceramic hobs with ovens below), two microwaves, two kettles, two toasters, a plumbed-in hot water dispenser, a large larder refrigerator, a large fridge-freezer and a wide range of utensils, crockery and cutlery. The common room has a woodburning stove. Other space heating, water heating and cooking is by electricity.
The bedrooms are for 6, 6, 4 and 2 persons in two-tiered bunks and each with an individual bunk light. The members room contains four beds normally reserved for use by members even when the 18 bedroom places have been booked by non-members. The bunks are equipped with mattresses, mattress covers, pillows and ample blankets, but these must be used with sleeping bags or top sheets and pillowcases. Bedroom heating is by two-hour timer switches.
Members and visitors are expected on departure to leave Muir secure and with electric appliances turned off EXCEPT THAT the fridges should always be left on and in winter the panel heaters in the kitchen and washrooms should be left on at a low setting by way of frost protection. The water and electricity main switches should NEVER be turned off on departure. Users should take all of their refuse away with them; most recyclables can be disposed of at the recycling bins at Inverey.
Hut Availability: This is shown on the calendar below.
This availability calendar is not updated in real-time so is indicative only. Enquiries to stay in the hut must always be made in advance by contacting the Muir Booking Secretary by emailing – muir-booking@cairngormclub.org.uk who will also be able to advise on maximum/minimum group sizes.
Please note that the dates marked as booked on the calendar refer to the nights that the cottage is booked for.
Note that the hut is only available for bookings by recognised Clubs and groups.
*** For up-to-date bookings click the “today” button below ***
Weekends tend to become well booked as much as a year ahead, often more, so early booking is advised. Prospective users who cannot secure a weekend booking are encouraged to think of midweek bookings, which could be as much as Sunday night to Thursday night inclusive.
If you have booked Muir Cottage please download the notes required for your stay by clicking here.
Charges are currently £6 a night for members and £13 a night for others, except where reductions apply. Special needs groups and 50+ groups based in Aberdeen City or Aberdeenshire qualify for a 50% reduction. There is no charge for children under 5 accompanying member parents; otherwise children under age 16 qualify for a 50% reduction. Those taking children accept responsibility for the safety and welfare of the children, and for the avoidance of disturbance to other visitors present.
Bookings and payments should be made to the Muir Booking Secretary, who will provide a note of the code for the keybox shortly before the arrival date booked for.
The cottage is also available for day use to members and their guests accompanying them, the charge being £3 per person. Day use should be booked in the same way as overnight use.
The use of tents and camper van accommodation within the precincts or on nearby ground is not permitted. Animals are not permitted within the building.
Nearby access is generally open, and always on Sundays and in the core NTS Mar Lodge Estate area. Any queries may be addressed to nearby estates as follows: Mar Lodge Estate (Glens Dee, Lui, Derry, Geldie, lower Quoich) 01339 720163 or rangers 0844 493 2173 or 2172, or marlodgeestate@nts.org.uk; Mar Estate (Glen Ey): Arthur Fernie (01339 741368); Invercauld Estate (Glens Slugain, upper Quoich, Clunie, Gairn, etc.) 01339 720163 or office@invercauld.org.
Mobile telephone reception at Muir can be iffy, but may be better near the gate.
The nearest working public telephone is at Braemar (where there is good mobile reception).
A large number of hills are within close proximity to Muir Cottage. Within 12 miles, as the crow flies Eagle soars there are 37 Munros, 8 Corbetts and a Graham.
Click on hill name to get more information.
Links with the kind permission of Walkhighlands
- Phone Number: 0999 999999
- Address: ABC Road Near Hill
- Post Code: AB99 9AB
- Email: HillwalkingClub@email.com