Discover more– Wild swim at a secret beach, explore secluded glens and forests, search for ghostly carvings in a hidden cave and climb incredible mountains. I first heard this at the bothy in Glen Feshie, where people piled in throughout the evening. A bothy is a shelter and it is always open to anyone who needs it. This underpins the communal experience you can discover in bothies – expect to share the space with others who might also want to use the bothy. Be prepared to make room for others, and get cozy. Bothies will sometimes have a fire that you can use. This involves bringing your own fuel in and ideally leaving some for others on your departure. At least try to leave some dry kindling.

Location: North West Highlands - LAT/LONG 57.3722, -5.2405, NH 052 360, 261m, LR Map 25, Explorer 429 For those who aren't aware, a bothy is a basic building which is free for use by walkers for shelter or to stay one or two nights. Most don't have toilets and no running water so is basically a step up from a tent. Many are ex-miner cottages and have a historic story to tell and many are in places with fantastic views. Most are in Scotland but there are a few in the Lake District, Northumberland and Wales. The majority of Bothies are maintained by the Mountain Bothies Association are were relatively secret until a few years ago. The cheery sight of its bright, whitewashed exterior has brought relief to many a weary traveller, and there are numerous tales in the log book of dangerous river crossings and arduous tramping over the unforgiving terrain to get here. You can also reach Glencoul bothy from Kylesku. You will continue past Glendhu bothy and continue around the loch, making your way through an unmarked trail uphill before joining a clear path that leads to Glencoul bothy.In theory, a bothy is never full and people will make room for you – somehow. Don’t count on it, though. In very simple terms, there are many derelict properties scattered across the Scottish landscape because of the waves of depopulation that began in the mid- to late-18th century and did not ease until after World War II. The initial driving force behind the exodus was a process of forced evictions known as the ‘Highland Clearances’. People then continued to abandon their communities when harvest failures led to illness and famine, with many leaving for the industrial heartland that grew rapidly in Lowland Scotland through the Victorian era. John Burns has written an excellent book that gives an experienced insight into what bothies and bothying is all about. I can highly recommend this book. Leaving a bothy The following, chosen by Geoff Allan, author of The Scottish Bothy Bible represent just a handful of the mountain bothies in use throughout Scotland, but they are undoubtedly among the most spectacular. In one of my earliest jobs in residential childcare in North-East Scotland (c1990), I would occasionally take the young people in my care away for a night or two to the bothy up in Glen Feshie in the Cairngorms. I remembered it from my childhood as a place where you could step out of your troubles, step in from the cold, step away from the day-to-day.

Respect the Restriction On Numbers’: if you’re in a group of 6 or more, don’t use a bothy. The size and facilities can’t handle it.

The Bothy offers an unparalleled level of dining within the locality, set within a contemporary ‘Arts & Crafts’ environment. Usually, people only stay in bothies for one night. They’re largely designed to be mid-hike (or end-hike) stop-offs, where you briefly stay for one night before then moving on. What to Expect when Bothying? Inside the rather large but rather dark room, there is a sturdy table, a scattering of chairs, and a bizarre candelabra hanging from the ceiling. In 2012 the Friends of Bob Scott’s donated a stove – a very welcome addition. A steep wooden ladder leads up to an attic space. If you’re mega interested in the history and heritage of the basic little booths, you can find more information here ). Scottish Bothy Walks is the sequel to the best-selling Scottish Bothy Bible and describes 28 sensational walking adventures to Scotland’s finest bothies. Choosing his favourite bothies as the focal point, Geoff Allan guides the reader on a mix of day walks and multi-day excursions, highlighting the incredible mountains, wildlife, geography and history that you will find along the way.

A bothy is a mountain shelter in Scotland available for anyone to use for free. It will usually consist of one or more bedrooms, with a common area that has seating and a fireplace. GEOFF ALLAN has hiked and biked to every well-known Scottish bothy – many two or three times. A photographer, surveyor and ex-maintenance officer for Dibidil – a Mountain Bothy Association’s bothy on the Isle of Rùm – he is your perfect guide to exploring Scotland’s wild places. Using only the finest and freshest locally sourced ingredients, our dedicated and highly skilled restaurant team have brought together a seasonal menu of both classic and creative dishes. The Scottish bothy bible was the first ever complete guide book to Scotland’s bothies. Winner Travel Guidebook of the Year 2017. You can buy the PDF digital version of the book here or the Kindle version here. The great attraction of using bothies is that there really aren’t any rules as such. However, we have developed a Bothy Code which contains some common sense, practical advice based on respect for the bothy itself, its users and the surrounding environment and which we ask all bothy users to observe. Respect other usersStac Dhòmhnaill Chaim, a fortified promontory 500 yds south of the bothy, was built in the 17th century by local hero and clan chief, Donald Cam Macaulay. Please observe any restrictions on use of the bothy, for example, during stag stalking or at lambing time. Please remember, bothies are available for short stays only. The owner’s permission must be obtained if you intend an extended stay.

There’ll rarely be any running water, so consider wet wipes, but once again, do not leave them behind or bury them. Take your rubbish home. Here she records the beauty to be seen in living landscapes, the wildlife to be alert for and all the richness of people encountered… and some may surprise. Prince Charles, Robert De Nero and Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit all make their appearances.You probably won’t find a toilet. A small few bothies have working toilets, but that’s a rarity. Instead, you’ll probably find a spade. Use this spade to dig a hole. From Ben Alder Cottage at Dalwhinnie to Greg’s Hut in the Pennines and Arenig Fawr in Snowdonia The Book of the Bothy is a catalogue of delights, sure to promote explorations beyond the author’s selections. For each bothy featured there is an Ordnance Survey map with grid reference and descriptions of two access routes, one the direct or “classic” with a longer “challenging” alternative for hill-baggers and those who have time and inclination. The bothy building, rooms and facilities are described in detail and nearby hills are listed too. But this book is more than a gazetteer of cost-free wilderness lodgings; its utility is multiplied by the author’s enthusiasm for the outdoor life, made clear in short personal essays describing her individual bothy adventures.