I had always thought that the bothy at Dulyn was an old hafod, a summer home for mountain farming. It wasn't until recently that I realised that Dulyn had its own small quarry, and that the bothy building might be associated with that, or with the hydroelectric work at the lake.
It's astonishingly hard to find out information about the origins of this building online. Although Coflein has a number of pages about features of the quarry, there's little information beyond the obvious. The building is listed as "Roofed building on E side of Dulyn Reservoir, approx. 16m x 7m. Stone construction. Marked on OS 2nd ed map of 1901. Associated function with hydro electric company set up in 1900's. Still in use for storage." It seems odd to say this, as the bothy is clearly not used for storage. It has been used as a bothy for some time - certainly previous to 2003, when the report was made. Also, since this cottage also has the ruin of another cottage right next to it, it seems odd that this isn't mentioned.
Is it possible that the building was originally built for the nearby quarry? According to Coflein the Dulyn Slate Quarry began in the 1860s, but doesn't appear to have been a profitable venture. It's certainly a small quarry, hard to access, with a single shaft going down into the hill rather than an (I assume) easier to access tunnel.
Whether the building was built for the quarry or for the reservoir (a work undertaken between 1878-1881), this puts its origin in the mid-to-late nineteenth century, making this intact building a boon in the search for Victorian workmen's quarters, in contrast to the many ruins one sees about the hills. It's fascinating to see one of these places roofed and in good condition, to give an idea of how they may have looked when they were in use.
From the hard to reach Dulyn Quarry shaft, the bothy is a speck on the hillside below, to the right in this photo. Dulyn (Llyn Dulyn is a tautology, since Dulyn means 'black lake') is to the far left. Further to the right along the valley are the remains of a prehistoric settlement.
West of the bothy is this ruined building, implying that in the Victorian era at least two cottages were built and used here.
Today these ruins are used as an extension of the bothy, with washing line strung out across the area, mysterious old bits of ironwork, and a chair for sitting in the sun.
It's obvious that this fireplace is still a useful feature, despite
the 'no outdoor fires' rule. A bit of pipe has been set up in the
ruined chimney to make the fire draw better.
When compared with an undated photo of the bothy on the
Mountain Bothy Association page it seems that the porch is a modern addition to the building. Also it appears that the building used to be painted white.
Inside, the bothy is very well appointed and looked after, with a small multi-fuel stove and plenty of supplies left by other users.
Above the fire is a clothes dryer, and, in the roof above, a loft hatch.
The door leads through to the second room. The table holds visitors' books and a map (although the map is of Snowdon).
A kind of breakfast bar is set up along the back wall, with lots of equipment laid out. Muntanji? Apparently, it's a
green-thinking outdoor clothing company, using the opportunity for some free advertising space.
In the end wall is a small window with candlestick. Also a skillet. Perhaps this is the 'skillet of love,' mentioned in one of the visitors' book entries further down this post.
In the window, a kettle and a shot glass. Both useful for unwinding after a long walk.
In the second room a two-level sleeping platform has recently been built; the whole building underwent substantial renovation a few years ago.
This is certainly a good view to wake up to.
There are plenty of candle holders about the place. This one hangs next to the window. In the past I've seen strings of fairy lights about the fireplace.
The view down the valley from the end window. During the renovations, a breeze-block set of stairs was built outside this window as a fire escape.
A friendly mouse family for hanging your coat from.
In the second room, a loft hatch similar to in the main room. Loft hatches always intrigue me...
The corner of the sleeping platform, with the vent through from the stove in the other room to let heat into the sleeping quarters.
Tealights on the vent from the stove next door.
There are quite a few notices on the walls about how to look after the bothy. This one gives a little information about the Mountain Bothies Association.
I couldn't resist taking too many pictures of entries in the visitors' books.
'Have
you got a headache?'
'Belting solo overnighter.'
This was the most recent entry in the book. The website lists the bothy as closed due to Covid, but I don't think anyone's taking any notice. Instead, the bothy is providing a wonderful bolthole for those under stress. The dates in the book imply the place is used with very high frequency.
'Self isolating in style.'
'Smokin big ol' doinks in Amish.'
'All I can say is: I was here.'
'I am Lewis. I live in Deganwy and I am five.'
'Lewis woke us up in the night with his loud farts.'
'This is a bothy. I went to my garden.'
'Survived the night with no weird paedo men telling weird stories.'
'Woke to RAF training helicopter landing!'
'Wot coronavirus?'
'Disgusted with state it was left in.'
'We hadn't even left.'
Someone has even left a three page printed essay, with cover image, giving a little local history.
___
This 'you are here' map is a little deceptive, given that, if standing in the bothy, you certainly aren't at the point on the map.
A well stocked set of shelves to the left of the fireplace in the main room.
When the fire is burning, the place must be quite cosy. According to the printed account above, this wasn't so much the case earlier in the bothy's life.
There's a lot of damp on the walls - always a problem in houses like this, especially, I imagine, one in a location like this, and used infrequently (compared to being permanently lived in.)
The rule is 'no fires outside the bothy' but I don't suppose there's much control over this, beyond relying on common sense to carry the day.
Looking out through the porch to the mountain land outside.
There are a few of these sinuous metal pieces lying outside the bothy, presumably something left from the dam construction or the quarry.
From outside, the bothy looks like a cosy little home.
At the end of the building, stairs have been built outside to provide a fire exit from the sleeping room.
Leaving the bothy behind on a late October day, for the long and marshy trek back to the Conwy Valley.
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