Plan to reopen Scotland's only indoor ice climbing centre

A climber on an indoor climbing wall, which is covered in thick ice, supported by ropes held by two climbers below. Ice Factor International

Scotland's only indoor ice climbing centre could reopen under a new operator in 2027.

The Ice Factor in Kinlochleven closed in 2023 amid a dispute over unpaid rent.

It was once one of the largest facilities of its kind in the world, and large walls inside the former aluminium smelter were covered in thick ice.

A new community interest company, Point Five, has been set up with a plan to turn it into a hub for four disciplines of climbing - ice, bouldering, sport and dry tooling.

The former aluminium smelter, and Ice Factor premises, is tall, rectangular, red brick building. The view is of a gable end, and it has a number of blue doors. Next to the building is a large car park with a van parked in it. Behind the building are low, rugged hills.Google

The former aluminium smelter closed as an ice climbing centre in 2023

Lochaber-based climber Dave MacLeod and mountaineer Anna Wells, from Inverness, have been made ambassadors to help lead the project.

Mr MacLeod is renowned in Scotland's climbing community for establishing new routes up sea cliffs in the Western Isles and mountains in the Highlands, including on Ben Nevis, Britain's highest peak.

Last year, Ms Wells became the first woman to reach the top of all of Scotland's 282 Munros in one winter season.

She took 83 days to complete what is called the Winter Munro Round.

Anna Wells takes a selfie from the summit of a mountain. Behind her is a Highland landscape of mountains, hills and lochs. Anna has her blonde hair in a pleat and is wearing a red fleece, sunglasses and a woollen headband. She is smiling.Anna Wells

Anna Wells has joined fellow climber Dave MacLeod as an ambassador for the project

Point Five said that once it was up and running the site would be the only centre in the UK to offer the four different types of climbing under one roof.

The company said: "But the vision goes further - alongside climbing, Point Five will serve as a vital community hub, featuring a welcoming café, soft play for families, and flexible community spaces designed to support wellbeing, connection, and local initiatives."

Point Five takes its name from Point Five Gully on Ben Nevis, an area popular for outdoor ice climbing.

Community interest companies are run to provide a benefit to the community where they are based.

Point Five said profits would be reinvested in the community to support projects and development.

The village of Kinlocleven is nestled in a heavily wooded glen by the shores of a loch. The village is surrounded by hills and mountains.Getty Images

Kinlochleven is a village in the west Highlands

The smelter was opened in 1909 and powered by hydro electricity.

More than 800 people were employed at the height of production, but by 1999 it had 96 employees. The smelter was shutdown in June 2000.

Kinlochleven Community Trust (KCT) later took over the building and the Ice Factor was opened in 2003.

In July 2015 the centre was damaged by fire.

The clean up took almost a year and involved melting and removing walls of ice and cleaning thousands of individual handholds.

Then in March 2023 the site's operator, Ice Factor Kinlochleven, had its lease terminated by KCT.

The move came four months after the closure of Snow Factor at XSite Braehead, Renfrewshire, which was owned by Ice Factor Kinlochleven's parent company the Ice Factor Group.

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