Hill and Mountain Skills: a weekend at a Mountaineering Hut in North Wales - October 2026
16.10.26Stephen and Mark, our regional volunteers for England, Peak District ran a very successful CPD weekend at the Clogwyn mountaineering hut in North Wales.
The Peak Region offers a wide range of workshops, open to people from every MTA region. Our weekend at a small mountaineering club hut inland from Porthmadog had people from as far away as Swansea, Dartmoor, and Hampshire, as well as more local people.
We gathered on Friday evening, some arriving at midday, others from further afield near bedtime. Next day, we ascended the south ridge of Cnicht until the wind got uncomfortably strong. Because we were practicing leadership, among other skills, it was the group which made the correct decision to move into shelter into an adjoining Cwm, where we took the opportunity to use our way-finding skills over rough terrain. Arrived at a lake, we spent half an hour doing contour recognition, matching the features we could see around us with the information on the map.
Back at the hut, a cup of tea revived us, followed by a pint at the local pub, recently benefiting from a community buy-out.
Meanwhile the evening banquet was being prepared at the hut, just the five courses!
The following day, a low ridge walk taking us to a very remote wild area, Yr Arddu, where one of our number indulged in a wild swim.
All too soon, it was time to tidy the hut, and head off home.
Attendee Kate says:
"Many thanks to Stephen and Mark for organising the hut weekend. It was a great learning experience for me to explore new terrain very different to the places i have recently explored. A confidence giving and sensitively led weekend."
You might be interested in using the hut for your own expeditions. It is run by the Derby-based Clogwyn Mountaineering Club, and is open to bookings from non-members. It is a small hut, sleeping a maximum of ten in a single alpine-style sleeping area, with kitchen facilities, and multi-fuel stove, and a shower in the toilet annexe. If you're interested, contact the hut booking secretary:
Best wishes,
Stephen
