UKC

Meanach Bothy

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 Ramblin dave 08 Feb 2014
I'm thinking of doing a walk out via Meanach Bothy (or is it Meannanach? Seems to depend who you ask...) in Glen Nevis in a couple of weeks, assuming the weather hasn't extended to full on fire and brimstone by then.

Does anyone know how big it is and how busy it gets in winter, particularly compared to the other bothies nearby? It'd be nice to have some idea of how likely we are to have to use our backup bivy bags...

Thanks!
 Dr.S at work 08 Feb 2014
In reply to Ramblin dave:

Two rooms, never met anyone else there
 Bob 08 Feb 2014
In reply to Ramblin dave:

Two rooms. Both have been fitted out by the MBA, one was done in the last year or so, so it's quite comfy. There's a bed platform in the right hand room as well. I've stopped there once and used it a couple of times when supporting Ramsay Rounds and only seen two other people there. It's further from the roads than places like Lairig Leachach.

I've seen both spellings as well, it's got "Meanach" painted at the side of the door.
 Cuthbert 08 Feb 2014
In reply to Bob:

The correct spelling is Meadhanach.

What's written on the door is incorrect.

It's a great bothy in a great location. Boggy to the west.
Jim C 09 Feb 2014
In reply to Saor Alba:

> The correct spelling is Meadhanach.

> What's written on the door is incorrect.

> It's a great bothy in a great location. Boggy to the west.

This one ?

http://www.mountainbothies.org.uk/bothy-details.asp?bothy_id=48
 Bob 09 Feb 2014
In reply to Saor Alba:

Boggy to the east as well and river to the south

Is the writing on the wall (metaphorically speaking) the Anglicised version then? I'm assuming that the pronunciation is more like "me annach" or "may annach" than "mean ach" if you see what I mean?
 Dr.S at work 09 Feb 2014
In reply to Ramblin dave:

Can be hard to spot in snow - the small plantation at the ruin across the river is a good marker
OP Ramblin dave 09 Feb 2014
In reply to Bob:

Googling suggests it could actually be an accurate Irishization, although slightly less accurate Anglicization is also possible.

Wiktionary gives the possible meanings as:
1. middle
2. middling, tolerable, average, so-so
which I like. I'm guessing it's from the first meaning?

Thanks to everyone for the more practical information as well!
 Dr.S at work 09 Feb 2014
In reply to Ramblin dave:

Well the first definition works quite well , the second does not really convey how nice a place it is - not as good a scenic location as some and a bit boggy around, but really handy location, and in good nick last time I was there
 Cuthbert 09 Feb 2014
In reply to Bob and Jim:

Yes. The Angicised version, if that is what it is, is Meanach but in correct Gaelic it's Meadhanach.

Remember the emphasis of most Gaelic words is on the first syllable.

You could request a sound file here: http://www.cnag.org/en/mountain-names

It's not Irish or an Irishisation. It just means the middle place and is pure Gaelic.

 Jim Braid 09 Feb 2014
In reply to Ramblin dave:

Haven't stayed there. The one time it was a possibility I found that the Abhainn Rath was totally unfordable when approaching the bothy from the S.

Maybe it was just a particularly wet time but the ground to the W of the bothy and just E of Tom an Eite has to be some of the wettest and boggiest I've encountered.
OP Ramblin dave 09 Feb 2014
In reply to Saor Alba:

I meant that "Meanach" could in principle be Irish, as that spelling is an Irish word meaning the same thing. But the idea of a roving Irishman going round translating place names doesn't seem all that likely...

Thanks for the information, anyway.
 Bob 09 Feb 2014
In reply to Ramblin dave:

A lot of the old celtic languages have very similar words: buachaille (Gaeilc) and bugail (Welsh) both meaning shepherd for example.

On a complete aside: does anyone know if the Abhain Rath has ever been canoed? I've done a search and can't find anything to suggest it has. It would be a very remote paddle indeed with no easy access at either end though you could of course paddle along Loch Treig The upper part from Meadhanach to Stoanaig bothy looks OK apart from the obvious set of falls about halfway, but the lower part looks very sporting and committing. Not that I'm (or ever was) good enough to paddle it.
 Cuthbert 09 Feb 2014
In reply to Bob:

I would guess it has as Lochaber was the domain of Andy Jackson, legendary Scottish paddler http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tall-Stories-Andy-Jackson-Biography/dp/1906095086

I can recommend the book.

There are various Lochaber paddlers who would know about this.

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