The George Starkey Hut

The George Starkey Hut is in Patterdale near Ullswater, at the heart of the Lake District’s Eastern Fells. It is ideally placed for the High Street range to the East, whilst from the front there is a splendid view of Helvellyn and its neighbouring fells: to reach them, all you have to do is put on your boots and walk from the Hut.

There is convenient local rock climbing at Castle Rock and Raven Crag in Thirlmere, Dove Crag in Dovedale, Scrubby Crag in Deepdale and Gowbarrow by Ullswater. Langdale and Dow Crag in the South West and Borrowdale to the North West are easily accessible.

In addition, there are mountain biking opportunities from the front door, canoeing and sailing on Ullswater and pony trekking locally.

The hut has a Members Room with eight beds and a further 20 beds that are bookable by clubs and groups. For details of the current nightly rate for members, hut information and pictures see the hut website.


Online Booking for Members - Members can now book directly through the Hut booking system.

Please note that on certain occasions (usually midweek) the Members Room may not be available, for example when a school/youth group have booked the hut exclusively. Check current group booking availability before booking.

For any questions about registering or booking - please email the Hut Booking Secretaries on george.starkey.hut@gmail.com.

Members have exclusive use of the hut over Bank Holiday weekends.

Bookings for the George Starkey Hut are welcome from British Mountaineering Council affiliated clubs, other clubs, school and youth groups, business and training organisations.
For Club Hut bookings contact Booking Secretary


Running of the Hut

The original lease on the George Starkey Hut was negotiated back in 1974 by the ABMSAC. It was decided by the Club Committee that the lease should be held in the name of a Limited Company. The Company was set up as a Company Limited by Guarantee with the Guarantee value set at £10 per member of the ABMSAC and TCC.

A new 30 year lease was signed in December 2014. Since mid 2016 we have had a new hut partner, the Alpine Club, and the the Company was renamed the George Starkey Hut Limited (GSHL). Individual membership of GSHL terminated in February 2021. The senior officers of both clubs now represent their clubs and are now the only members of GSHL.

The hut is run on behalf of both clubs by Hut Management Committee (HMC) which reports to the ABMSAC and AC’s committees via the Directors GSH Ltd and to both clubs’ AGM’s.

The HMC’s role is essentially it is to maintain the hut in good order for our members and guests to use.

The HMC comprises of both ABMSAC and AC members with specific skills & knowledge about the hut which will be helpful towards fulfilling HMC’s role.
The Committee are:
Derek Buckley - Finance
Tom Curtis - Health & Safety
John Evans - Secretary
Don Hodge - font of knowledge about the hut
Paul Hudson - George Starkey Hut booking Secretary
Marian Parsons - Hut Warden
Heather Eddowes - Chair of the Hut Management Committee.

Members can contact the HMC via hmc@george-starkey-hut.com


Rhyd Ddu

We have a reciprocal arrangement with the Oread Mountaineering Club to use their hut, Tan-yr-Wyddfa, at Rhyd Ddu near Beddgelert in North Wales (grid ref. 570527).
The Hut has four bedrooms with a sleeping capacity of 22 people. The bedrooms are provided bunk beds, mattresses and blankets.


Members cooking dinner in the well equipped kitchen.

SAC Huts

SAC members pay a reduced overnight rate. Members receive priority over members of other Alpine Clubs and clubs affiliated to other Alpine Clubs. Details of SAC huts are on www.sac-cas.ch/en/

Reciprocal rights SAC members are entitled to corresponding priority rights and reduced charges in huts belonging to other Alpine Clubs affiliated to the U.I.A.A.


Updated October 2021