Ice Factor: World's biggest indoor ice climbing centre with 14m-high walls to reopen in Scotland under plans
The ice climbing facility boasted 14m-high walls for adventurers to scale when in operation.
It was renowned as the largest facility of its kind in the world - a former aluminium smelter in which 14m-high walls had been covered in thick ice for adventurers to scale.
Now The Ice Factor in Kinlochleven, which was Scotland's only indoor ice climbing centre, could be set to reopen after closing its doors two years ago.
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The £3.4 million facility near Fort Williams shut in 2023 after becoming embroiled in an ongoing dispute over unpaid rent.
But relaunch plans been put forward by community interest company Point Five, which wants to transform the site into a base for four climbing disciplines - ice, bouldering, dry tooling and sport.
The ambition is to relaunch the facility in 2027. A soft play facility and cafe are also part of the plans.
A statement from Point Five said the site would ultimately be the UK’s only facility to offer all four different types of climbing at the one base.
The firm told the BBC: "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."
Mountaineer Anna Wells, from Inverness, as well as climber Dave MacLeod have agreed to be ambassadors for the project.
Ms Wells last year became just the fourth person - and the first woman - to climb all 282 Munros in Scotland in a single winter season.
Mr MacLeod, based in Lochaber with his family, has made a name for establishing climbs in the Western Isles and on Ben Nevis - the UK’s tallest mountain.
Point Five, which has been named after the popular gully of the same name on Ben Nevis used for outdoor ice climbing, intends to reinvest any profits into community projects.
The Ice Factor was originally opened in 2003 after the location’s smelter, which boasted more than 800 employees at the height of production, shut in 2000.
The ice climbing centre is situated less than 200m from part of the West Highland Way long distance walking trail.
The facility was forced to close in 2015 due to a fire that started in the building’s sauna area, but reopened the following year. The attraction had boasted in excess of 100,000 visitors, climbers and adventure seekers each year while in operation.
The potential reopening comes after Kinlochleven Community Trust (KCT) launched legal proceedings against Ice Factor in 2023 over unpaid rent, prompting the building’s owners to terminate the lease.
A trust spokeswoman said at the time: "KCT will actively look for a new tenant to take over the building and continue to use it as the national ice climbing centre for the greater climbing community."
Stuart Younie, chief executive of Mountaineering Scotland, in 2023 had described the closure as a shock for the community.
He said: "It is really disappointing for the staff and people who use the facility. It plays a key role in terms of the local economy and wider Highlands."
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