From 1945 to the opening of Beudy Mawr in 1948 the Club found temporary refuge in a small tin hut (Tyn-y-Shanty) next to Nant y Benglog Chapel in the Ogwen Valley. It can be seen in this picture through the trees on the right.
Peter Harding’s article ‘Haute Hut Cuisine’ in the 1995-96 Journal describes the hut, its basic facilities and a culinary disaster in Easter 1948. At that time Harding was pioneering some great climbs in the Peak and North Wales and produced his celebrated guide to Llanberis Pass in 1950. He carried on climbing to a high standard in later life, recording his adventures in some classic articles which I hope to include in a future edition.
Another visitor to the Shanty was Ken Davidson whose solo ‘Climber’s Grand Tour’ from the 1947 Journal can be found here. I wonder if anyone took up Ken’s invitation to follow in his footsteps and perhaps even added Longland’s to the itinerary?
