Carlisle Mountaineering Club Hut

Atmospheric Climbing Hut Providing Basic Accommodation In The Newlands Valley

 

 

Carlisle MC BBQ meet Summer 2025
Book The CMC Hut

The Carlisle club’s hut is beautifully situated in the remote Newlands Valley, in the northern Lake District. Despite its remote atmosphere it is just thirty minutes drive from Keswick. The hut sleeps 16 in “alpine hut” style bunks. Access has been improved recently with the addition of a less steep staircase by one of our master craftsman members. Improvements have also been made to improve fire safety.

We ask that you let us know if anything is amiss with fire and smoke alarms or any other aspect that might reduce safety in the event of a fire.

Climbers and walkers run on food. To cook it, the hut has bottled gas cookers. The “iconic” gas lighting is fragile, using old style gas mantles that require tenderness!

Second only to its remote locatipn, one of the most attractive features is the pot-bellied coke stove which dominates the main sitting area. Many an atmospheric evening has been spent around that stove after a few amber nectars in the nearby hostelries.

The building’s cold water supply comes straight from the fells above the hut & needs to be treated or boiled before drinking. This also supplies a flushing toilet. An outside toilet! Our facilities are basic and this is the unique character that is appreciated by those wishing to get away from it all.

You will also find ZERO mobile phone signal… properly away from the madding crowd.

Booking a Stay In The Hut

To stay in the hut a booking can be made by calling the Hut Secretary, Clive Barnett on 01782 316364.

A key deposit of £25.00 is payable and the cost is £11.00 per person per night, with a minimum charge of £33 per day per booking.

Weekends are very popular so please plan well ahead or try for midweek dates. 

Because the hut isn’t wardened and our hut secretary lives down near Stoke, we do ask that after your stay you sweep the hut clean, remove all unused food and take your rubbish away to a bin in the outside world.

We try to keep the supply of crockery, cutlery and pots up to scratch and it helps us enormously if you wash, dry and return everything to their shelves and hooks. It is best to bring your own tea towels with you and if you are cooking from scratch… your own sharp knife is helpful!

 

The Carlisle MC hut's kitchen with gas cookers and sink

A Gallery of the Hut and Surroundings in The Newlands Valley

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Clive Barnett CMC President

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CMC Gathering at The Club Hut In Newlands Valley

CMC Gathering at The Club Hut In Newlands Valley

CMC Gathering at The Club Hut In Newlands Valley in 2020

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Carlisle Mountaineering Club Hut pot bellied stove

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Carlisle Mountaineering Club old guard gathered in the Newlands Hut around the pot bellied stove Autumn 2018

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Relaxing at the club's hut in Newlands Valley after a day climbing in the valley.

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Relaxing at the club’s hut in Newlands Valley after a day climbing in the valley.

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How To Find The Hut.

Hut   Little Town Gate  
O.S. Grid Ref. NY 229 177 O.S. Grid Ref. NY 233 195
What3Words ///flops.foresight.palace What3Words ///redeemed.super.shelving
Latitude Longitude 54° 32′ 54.5″ N 3° 11′ 34.1″ W Latitude Longitude 54° 33′ 54.6″ N 3° 11′ 12.3″ W
Google Lat. / Long 54.54,-3.19 Google Lat. / Long 54.56, -3.18

The hut is reached from Littletown by driving (or walking) the last mile or so along a rough unsurfaced track. Reducing the number of cars is a good move as the parking space outside the hut is quite limited and the track needs to be passable for our neighbour’s farm vehicles and also for mountain rescue vehicles. Considerate parking works wonder for our relationship with the neighbours.

Detailed Driving Directions

From Keswick to Littletown in Newlands Valley (via Portinscale)

6 miles and about 15-20 minutes to reach Littletown.

  1. Leave Keswick heading west towards the A66 (the main road heading towards Cockermouth/Workington).
  2. Join the A66 westbound.
  3. Take the first left turning signposted for Portinscale / Newlands Valley (B5289).
  4. Continue straight through the village of Portinscale. The road will pass Derwentwater Marina on your left.
  5. After leaving Portinscale, the road becomes narrower and winds past woods. Continue for approximately 1.5 miles.
  6. Look for and turn right at the junction signposted for Swinside / Stair / Newlands Valley / Buttermere.
  7. At the small hamlet of Stair, a left turn by the Newlands Adventure centre towards Littletown.
  8. Continue up the valley road. Ignore minor junctions and stay on the main valley road.
  9. Shortly after, you will reach the hamlet of Littletown.

Littletown to Carlisle Mountaineering Club Hut

The Carlisle Mountaineering Club Hut is located further up the valley from the main cluster of buildings in Littletown.

  1. From Littletown, pass the last cottages on your left and a few yards further onlook for a turn left onto the unsurfaced track, with a gate set back about 30m from the road
  2. You will follow this rough track to the hut. Please be sure to close the gate
  3.  Drive slowly and with care, as you may encounter walkers or other vehicles.

From Cockermouth Direction to Littletown in the  Newlands Valley

This is an approximately 15 miles; 20-30 minute drive.

  1. From Cockermouth town centre, find your way to the A66 eastbound, heading towards Keswick.
  2. Stay on the A66, a fast dual-carriageway in most sections, for several miles. You will pass signs for various villages.
  3. As you approach Keswick, take the left turn signposted for Braithwaite (B5292).
  4. Drive through the village of Braithwaite. Look for and take the left turn signposted for Newlands Valley.
  5. After turning, take the next immediate left turn,  over a small humpback bridge and through a narrow gap between buildings.
  6. Continue along this narrow valley road for approximately 2.5 miles.
  7. Take a sharp left turn, signposted for Newlands Church and Little Town. A key landmark is the unique stone house at the junction.
  8. Follow this narrow road for about half a mile, crossing a narrow bridge over the Newlands Beck and heading fairly steeply uphill, until just before you reach the small cluster of buildings that is Littletown.
  • Note: The road through the Newlands Valley is narrow with passing places. Drive carefully and be prepared to pull over to allow oncoming traffic to pass.

Littletown to Carlisle Mountaineering Club Hut

The Carlisle Mountaineering Club Hut is located further up the valley from the main cluster of buildings in Littletown.

  1. You are looking for a very sharp turn at junction with the rough track on your right onto the unsurfaced track, with a gate set back about 30m from the road. This is well before the cottages as you almost reach the top of the hill.
  2. You will follow this rough track to the hut. Please be sure to close the gate
  3.  Drive slowly and with care, as you may encounter walkers or other vehicles.