Plans have been submitted to convert a dilapidated 19th-century hunting lodge in Aberdeenshire into a hostel.
The National Trust for Scotland is bidding to have the remote Derry Lodge, in Cairngorm National Park, transformed into accommodation.
The C-listed building, a former shooting lodge, is a well-known feature to ramblers, situated at the starting point to walks through to Glen Derry and the mighty Lairig Ghru pass.
The lodge is surrounded by ancient Scots pine trees and is located three miles from the nearest road, at the Linn of Dee, near Braemar.
The proposals are to convert the building into a 20-bedroom hostel with space for two staff, retaining its lounge and dining rooms.
Residents at a revamped Derry Lodge would still be required to “walk in and walk out”.
However, developers Bell Ingram Design claim it offers the ideal spot for walkers, tourists and outdoor lovers before and after taking to the hills.
In a design statement, the firm said the plans were for a “well-managed mountain hostel”, adding: “The concept for the hostel use has been developed in such a way as to have minimum impact on the listed building and natural environment.
“Guests [would] arrive on foot with basic facilities, which would limit the requirement for vehicle movement and deliveries.
“The project seeks to demonstrate how a historic building of modest size can be sympathetically upgraded using traditional materials and techniques; improving the presentation of the structure and resolving building fabric issues.”
It would also address issues around “adolescents using the location as a drinking den”.
The nearest parking will be at the Linn of Dee car park.
An NTS spokeswoman added that, although the plans were being lodged, the flood recovery at Mar Lodge Estate would be its priority.
She explained: “We are applying for planning permission, but we will not proceed any further with the project at the moment.
“The current priority at Mar Lodge is to address the devastating flood damage it suffered during Storm Frank earlier in the year.
“As a result, attention will be focused on making the essential repairs required after the extreme weather in January – that has to be where our efforts and resources are concentrated for the time being.”
Highland ponies on the Mar Lodge Estate could be used as transport to a revamped Derry Lodge facility.
The Bell Ingram Design statement added that “estate Highland ponies” could be used as an “alternative and enjoyable means of access”.
It is thought Derry Lodge could date back to 1859, with Queen Victoria believed to have stopped off there, following a walk up Ben Macdui that year.
During World War II, the building was occupied by the military, who used the Cairngorms heavily for training.
It was later in the hands of the Cairngorm Club until 1967 and has since been unoccupied.
In the summer months, Derry Lodge would be open to group bookings with live-in staff, and, throughout the winter, could be let as a single or two self-catering units.
