Book Caseg Fraith

If you have any queries about bookings, please contact the hut warden.

Who can book the hut?

Bookings may only be made by:

• members of the University of London Mountaineering Club (ULMC)
• members of another University-affiliated mountaineering, climbing or walking club
• members of the University of London Graduate Mountaineering Club (ULGMC)
• members of another BMC (or equivalent national body) affiliated club
• individual members of the BMC (or equivalent national body)

Anyone entitled to book places can book for guests who do not need any of the above affiliations.

Equivalent national bodies to the BMC (British Mountaineering Council) include Mountaineering Scotland, Mountaineering Ireland and other international mountaineering bodies (including the national Alpine Clubs).

Hut fees

With effect from 1 January 2024, the parking fee has been increased from £3 per vehicle per night to £4 per vehicle per night and, from 1 February 2024, the fees for exclusively booking Dorm 3 (the small 6-bed dorm) have been increased and a new low occupancy surcharge has been introduced for small bookings made by non-members of ULMC and ULGMC.

The parking fee is increasing, because our lease restricts us to just 8 parking places in our car park and demand often outstrips supply.  The aim is to make a small attempt to help encourage more car sharing and the use of public transport, now that there is an improved bus service between the hut and Bangor (and Betws y Coed) rail stations.

The low occupancy surcharge (details below) has been introduced because too many small bookings were being made (particularly midweek, but also on some weekends), where the fees collected were significantly less than the costs of providing electricity (which is now much more expensive than it used to be).  Small bookings can also prevent the possibility of whole hut bookings, from which much of the hut income derives.  The surcharge will still not be sufficient to cover the electricity costs in winter or provide much compensation for the loss of fees from whole hut bookings, but will hopefully change booking behaviour, so that non-members of ULMC and ULGMC wanting to request a small booking, might choose dates where a number of places have already been booked or find alternative accommodation.  We did not want to only accept whole hut or dormitory bookings or to impose a minumum booking size, as happens with many other huts and bunkhouses. This scheme has been designed to help minimise our losses and maximise our fee income, while still allowing small bookings, but hopefully not having so many that are so spread out.  The fees, even for very small bookings for people who have no flexibility in dates, are designed so that they are reasonable and not totally prohibitive.

The increase in fees for Dorm 3 (ideal for families with children) is designed to ensure that only people who are willing to pay a small premium for privacy will book it.  Historically, this dormitory was reserved for use by ULMC and ULGMC members, but can now be booked by non-members.

Individual and small group bookings

1-17 sleeping spaces can be booked on the understanding that it may be necessary to share a mixed dormitory with other individuals and/or groups. Fees are normally charged per person per night for up to 17 places as follows:

• £7 for ULMC/ULGMC members
• £9 for full-time university students who are not members of ULMC/ULGMC
• £12 for all other guests who are not ULMC/ULGMC members or full-time university students
• Children are charged at the rate of the accompanying adult who takes responsibility for them

If privacy is important or essential (as is likely to be the case with children), this can only be guaranteed by booking the exclusive use of a dormitory or sole use of the hut.

6 places are usually reserved for members of ULMC/ULGMC other than when sole use is granted (by booking all 3 dormitories).

Booking whole dormitories (and sole use of hut)

If 18 or more sleeping spaces are required, one or more dormitories must be booked (plus some individual beds in a potentially shared dormitory, if required). There are three dormitories which can be booked individually or in combination to accommodate a maximum of 6, 20, 26, 40 or 46 people (subject to availability). Charges per night for booking dormitories are as follows:

Low occupancy surcharge

If the total occupancy of the hut at the time of the stay is below 6, on any one night, a low occupancy surcharge will become applicable on each night where occupancy is below 6.  The low occupancy surcharge will not be applied to bookings that are made by members of ULMC or ULGMC and will be calculated as follows:

If this low occupancy surcharge becomes applicable, the booking can be transferred, at any point prior to departure, to another date where the hut occupancy is greater than 5, with no penalty.  Otherwise, the low occupancy surcharge will become payable within 7 days after the stay. 

Car park charges and midweek discounts

A fee of £4.00 per vehicle per night for up to 8 parking permits will be charged.  Because our lease only allows 8 vehicles to be parked in the car park, permits are initially allocated on the basis of one permit for every 5 beds booked, but further permits can be allocated a week before the stay, if they are available.

Midweek discounts

A midweek discount of 20% will be applied for dormitory bookings (other than bookings for the small 6-bed dorm) or whole hut bookings that do not include a Friday or Saturday night or a night immediately preceding a Bank Holiday.

Availability

To request a new booking, simply click on the "Make a booking request" button below and fill in the web form.

Current bookings are shown in the embedded Google Calendar below. The booking dates shown on the calendar are for the nights that have been booked and therefore include the date of arrival but not the date of departure.

Hut rules

To confirm a booking, a deposit of 50% of the total fee is payable within 7 days of a provisional booking being accepted, otherwise the provisional booking will be cancelled unless otherwise agreed beforehand. All places booked must be paid for within 7 days after the stay. A charge of 10% of the outstanding balance will be charged for each month or part of a month that fees are overdue, unless otherwise agreed beforehand. Charges will be levied if any cancelled places are not re-let. Full fees are payable if cancellation is within 2 weeks, and half fees between 2 and 6 weeks of the booked dates.

Caseg Fraith is a privately owned mountaineering club hut. All persons using the hut do so at their own risk. No responsibility is accepted for personal injury, loss, or damage to property, however arising.

The person booking agrees to indemnify the Trustees in respect of any damage to the hut or loss or damage to fittings equipment, or injury to any other person. We reserve the right to levy a charge of up to £100 if the hut is not left in a clean and tidy condition for the next party or if electricity is wasted because heating or lighting is not switched off on departure.

It is the responsibly of the accompanying adult to ensure that children for whom they are responsible are safeguarded and well-behaved at all times while at the hut.

Parking is strictly regulated and spaces are allocated before the visit.  We reserve the right to levy a charge of up to £100 if any of the parking instructions are not followed.

As the hut is surrounded by a working sheep farm and the farmer does not allow anyone on his campsite or staying in one of his bunkhouses to bring a dog, we regret that dogs are also not permitted at the hut.

All guests are expected to follow all the instructions in the hut user information which will be provided.

Making a booking request