The Mountain Bothies Association has warned that misuse of a north Wales shelter may put its further availability at risk.

The association has received reports of both group use and visitors using vehicles to get to the Penrhos Isaf bothy near Ganllwyd, north of Dolgellau in Snowdonia. As with most bothies in the care of the MBA, it is privately owned and use is dependent on co-operation of those visiting it.

The bothy is in forest land and bothy users have been reported arriving by vehicles driven along the forest tracks, in contravention of the agreement. A Mountain Bothies Association statement said: “This potentially threatens our continued use of the bothy and relations with nearby residents in the surrounding forest.

“Vehicles should not be taken along the forestry tracks, nor should groups larger than six in number be using the bothy without the landowner’s prior agreement. This issue also applies to our other forestry bothies.”

In common with most bothies under the stewardship of the MBA, the charity does not own the building at Penrhos Isaf, but maintains the rudimentary shelter for the benefit of walkers and others who need it.

Most of the maintenance work on their bothies is carried out by volunteers’ work parties.