The Fords of Avon shelter. Photo: scarletfawth CC-BY-ND-2.0

The Fords of Avon shelter. Photo: scarletfawth CC-BY-ND-2.0

A remote mountain refuge will be rebuilt in the summer after a national park authority gave the go-ahead for the project.

The rough shelter at the Fords of Avon was built by the military in 1970 and has provided emergency protection for walkers, mountaineers and climbers in the area ever since.

The Cairngorms National Park Authority gave permission on Friday for the bothy to be rebuilt.

The meeting at Nethy Bridge heard the existing stone-clad, timber hut in Glen Avon has provided emergency shelter for walkers since and has saved many lives.

CNPA board member and Moray councillor Allan Wright said: “The shelter lies on the historic Lairig an Laoigh walking route from Glenmore to Braemar and I know from personal experience it can be an essential refuge when it’s been difficult or impossible to cross the Avon.

“Walkers unable to find their way back over Cairn Gorm to the ski area have also been found at the refuge.

“It will be the first time any improvements have been made to the shelter in 40 years and I have no doubt the improvements will be appreciated by walkers like me for another 40 years to come.”

The authority said to ensure it continues to blend into the landscape, the shelter will resemble the existing structure with the natural granite boulders that presently surround it being transferred to the new one.

It will have a new timber structure, damp-proof membrane with timber flooring and horizontal timber boarding.

The roof will be replaced with steel corrugated roof sheeting and will have some insulation and damp proofing.

An RAF Sea King helicopter will be used to remove the existing timber structure and airlift in the new one so as not to damage  the surrounding landscape.

Work is expected to start late summer so as not to disturb birds in the area.

Some articles the site thinks might be related:

  1. Mountain shelter back in service after volunteers’ restoration
  2. Cairngorm team in ‘brutal’ stretcher carry of injured walker in eight-hour night rescue