The Smiddy, sitting below the foot hills of An Teallach

The Smiddy” at Dundonnell is exactly what the name suggests: it was originally a working blacksmith’s forge serving the local community on the shores of Little Loch Broom.

Smiddies were once an essential part of Highland life, providing tools, shoeing horses, and maintaining agricultural equipment for remote estates and settlements. In a place as isolated as Dundonnell, at the foot of An Teallach and on the edge of what’s often described as Scotland’s “Great Wilderness”, a local forge would have been a vital hub of practical life.

After falling out of its original use, the building was later converted into a mountaineering hut by the Junior Mountaineering Club of Scotland (JMCS). The conversion retained much of the original character of the structure, with remnants of the blacksmith’s trade still on display: tools, an anvil, a large set of traditional bellows, and other forge features that hint at its past life.

Now operating as a small club hut, The Smiddy provides simple but comfortable accommodation for climbers and walkers, with space for around eight people and basic facilities, making it an ideal base for exploring the surrounding peaks such as An Teallach, the Fannichs, and the Dearg range.

Unlike the last visit by the 45 paid to The Smiddy, no one required a trip to hospital. A fortunate outcome, as there was no doctor available to triage any injuries.

Members attending: George Henderson, Susan Henderson, Louise McCulloch, Lorn Smith, Graeme Wilmott, Tim Woodcock.

FRIDAY

With only six in attendance, we arrived in three cars and, entirely unsurprisingly, at three different times. Tim and Louise, following their recent move to Inverness, have taken the opportunity to rebrand themselves as Highlanders and were quick to point out the advantages, chiefly a considerably shorter journey. In any case, everyone arrived without incident, which was the main thing.

The drive in provided views of An Teallach, looming over proceedings and offering a reminder of what lay ahead. Once inside, beds were quietly claimed, food was dealt with, and the standard drams appeared. Discussion turned to the following day’s plans, albeit tempered by a less-than-inspiring forecast suggesting a mixture of rain, snow and clag.

An Teallach from the car on the drive into the hut

Two-thirds of the party were intent on An Teallach, with at least three different routes under consideration, while the remainder opted for the Deargs (with a possible extended route).

It was otherwise a fairly quiet evening, with a few more drams, a pareidolic game watching the lowes take shape, and then ultimately turning in early…….well early in 45 terms that is, ahead of what promised to be a long day. The Bunnahabhain FKW did, however, make a brief but notable appearance.

FKW! What can you see in the lowes?

SATURDAY

Graeme hadn’t been on An Teallach before and had been eyeing up the full ridge, including the outlying tops, though given the forecast leading up to the weekend this hadn’t seemed especially likely. Lorn, requiring only two tops to complete the range, had thought he might tick them off and still make it back in time for a certain football match.

As it turned out, the weather had other ideas. It was superb: clear views throughout, barely a breath of wind, though a noticeable chill was still present in places.

In the end, Lorn and Graeme completed the full ridge, taking in both Munros and all seven tops, including a pause at Lord Berkeley’s Seat to enjoy untamed majesty of the surroundings. A far better outcome for Lorn, particularly once the football result became known.

Graeme and Lorn enjoy the panoroma

Highlanders-in-training, Louise and Tim, were on the same lump, with their target being the two Munros. It was also Tim’s first time on An Teallach, and there had been earlier talk of taking in the pinnacles, though this ambition softened as the day went on. They did, however, secure a couple of excellent lunch spots for coffee and lunch.

Louise proving nowhere is out of bounds when searching for the best spot for lunch

Tim blending in, standing over ‘butt crack rock’, he may well be delivering a box of Milk Tray!

There were several sightings, and the occasional rendezvous between the four intrepid 45’s, which added to the day. Louise also contributed a classic piece of “nature footage” to the club chat, no doubt inspired by Sir David Attenborough’s recent centenary.

Once onto the pinnacles, there was no shortage of enjoyable scrambling en route to each summit for Lorn and Graeme, including an unnamed top that was included on account of it being far too good a day to ignore. Louise and Tim, however, opted not to continue the full ridge, instead retracing their steps and heading off in search of more immediate rewards in the form of a pub dinner and refreshments.

Lorn precariously crossing a rockfall bridge before attempting one of the many scrambling opportunities

Lorn and Graeme enjoyed a wee dram on the final summit, Sail Liath, before a decision was made to vary the return to The Smiddy. The plan was to follow the broad slabs above and roughly parallel to Coir’ a’ Ghiubhsachain. This seemed like an excellent idea until it became apparent that the line terminated in a rather abrupt drop into a gorge.

A more easterly adjustment followed, which initially gave much the same impression, before eventually easing and, by good fortune, leading to a bridge crossing. From there, it was a straightforward walk back to the hut.

George and Susan had an absolutely epic day, tackling not only the four Munros of the Beinn Dearg circuit but extending things considerably to take in Seana Bhraigh as well. What had started as an already respectable outing quickly turned into something far more ambitious, eventually clocking in at around 40km for the day.

As with the rest of the party, they were treated to excellent weather throughout, making the long distance and steady accumulation of ascent all the more enjoyable. Underfoot conditions were generally kind for the time of year, with only Beinn Dearg holding on to any notable snow.

George and Susan looking back over to Beinn Dearg

The combination of big distances, multiple summits and clear conditions made for a classic day in the hills: long, committing, and hugely rewarding. By the time they made their way back, it was clear they’d made full use of the unexpectedly good weather window and extracted maximum value from it.

Susan on Seana Braigh, summit number 5, just a mere 15km walk back to the car left to do!

When Geoge and Susan returned to the hut with tales of their epic day, the rest of us were left in some awe at how they can still put out such a big day without much fuss.

SATURDAY NIGHT

Sunset from the hut

Saturday night was fairly quiet again: drams, beers, and another round of Watching the Lowes. One of the best things about nights in the hut with the 45 is the music, and as ever we’re fortunate to have a few very capable musicians in the ranks. Tim didn’t disappoint, producing the guitar and leading a selection of his better-known numbers, with plenty of enthusiastic (if not always perfectly tuned) accompaniment. It provided a fitting end to what had already been a cracking day.

SUNDAY

With no hill days planned for Sunday, it was a case of getting the place spick and span, ready for the next occupants. As ever, the aim was to leave the hut in better fettle than we found it, and this occasion was no exception.

Once duties were complete, it was time to hit the road for the journey home. Long for most, though for the newly declared “Highlanders” it was, of course, just doon the road.

The next meet is at the Craigallan Hut in Ballachulish. There’s plenty of room, so let’s hope for a decent turnout… hopefully no repeat of last years nocturnal events!