The view from the bothy is incredible you have a panorama of the mighty not often seen side of An Teallach to the wonderful Corbett Beinn Dearg Mor and Loch na Sealga. These mountains are mountaineers mountains in a setting that every time you see it tugs at the heart. Add to that the wildness and early winter you have a place of great peace and beauty and maybe just a few deer for company. How I love this place and the many memories.
From the Mountain Bothies Association .
“Shenavall was first occupied by one Colin MacDonald and his family on a cold dreich morning in November 1891. With a swirling mist obscuring the surrounding peaks of An Teallach and Beinn Dearg Mor and many mountain burns in full spate, their arrival by boat at the head of Loch na Sealga was not an encouraging start to occupancy that was to last all of ten years. The family’s miserable possessions consisted of no more than a few trunks, some bedding and a wheelbarrow.” What a hardy life they must have had?
MBA – Founded in 1965, the Mountain Bothies Association exists to maintain remote buildings for which the owner has little or no use, yet remain important to walkers and others who make use of the shelter that they provide. We only own one of these buildings – Over Phawhope bothy. The remainder are maintained with the agreement and encouragement of the owners. All maintenance work is financed from our own resources, mainly membership subscriptions supplemented by generous donations from benefactors, some of whom wish to commemorate a relative or friend who was a hillwalker or climber.
The maintenance work along with the bulk of administration is carried out by volunteers. Each bothy in the care of the Association has one or more Maintenance Organisers who are responsible for arranging routine maintenance. You will find more information about the bothies that we maintain and about what we do elsewhere on this site. If you are not already a member, why not join us and help to preserve these unique shelters?
This is the gateway to so many special places once here the adventure is yours, my advice once you have done the grand Munro round, explore. This is not a place to tick the summits and leave. There are great hidden Corries, cliffs and lochs and so many hills that have so many ways up them. This is big country and well worthy of a long weekend or more especially when the midges and crowds have had their fill.
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
The special journey to Sheneval.
Cars fly by as you cross the road to another world,
Then silence, the traitor’s gate, the track.
Wynds through the trees, the river breaks the silence,
Views of An Teallach open at every turn.
Midges, clegs can abound here but not today, too cold,
Cross the river, is that bridge in the wrong place?
Muddy and wet, back on track,
Steep hill, upwards towards the top.
The wee cairn, stop, no rush, drink it all in.
Open moor, contour round , special views
Every corrie on that great hill has a particular thought.
Memories
Fisherfield, these great hills.
The light changing, with clouds and rain.
Youthful memories of companions, some now gone.
epic days, trying to impress?
Pushing it and nearly, losing it?
Descent to Shenevall, steep, slippy and wet,
Eroded now by so many feet, collect some wood.
The bothy, the deer, they are still there;
Shenavall. It never changes, apart from the seasons.
Fire on, primeval,
Tea in hand, alone with thoughts,
The Deer rattle the door, time for sleep.
Memories
Heavy Whalley – for Yvette 
Old mans thoughts and tales. 