The bothy is one of just two MBA shelters where the communal area occupies only the attic space; the ground level is simply an empty shell with a cobbled floor. Access is via the replaced and slightly precarious ladder up to a trap door. The room is slightly cramped but there is a big stone fireplace at one end, and with a fire going, it is very cosy. A worn chaise lounge left in the house functions as a table, flanked by a couple of benches. Natural light filters through four clear perspex roof panels, but the winter months can be a little gloomy when the bothy is shaded by the hill and gets no direct sunlight. Key Attractions: When going to a bothy, it is important to assume that there will be no facilities. No tap, no sink, no beds, no lights, and, even if there is a fireplace, perhaps nothing to burn. Bothies may have a simple sleeping platform, but if busy you might find that the only place to sleep is on a stone floor. You will need to make your own arrangement for water and should be aware that there may not be a suitable supply near the bothy. If there is no fire then on a cold night you may have trouble staying warm. The great majority of nights in Britain are on the cool side and remember that most bothies are up in the hills. Few bothies have toilet facilities apart from a spade and the advice is that you should walk at least a couple of hundred metres from the bothy and 60metres from the water supply before excavations and evacuations commence. If all this sounds rather rough, you are beginning to get the picture. Your comforts have to be carried in. If there are no toilet facilities, then it’s outside and dig a hole to bury your waste. Make sure it is well away from the bothy and away from water sources. At least 200 metres away. Make sure your hole is at least 6 inches or 15 cm deep. Heavily influenced by the textile designs of William Morris, The Bothy has a look that draws on the British Arts & Crafts movement of the late 19th Century. The wallpapers dance with intricate patterns featuring both avian and botanical imagery whilst the fabric choices were inspired by classic ‘trellis’ pattern designs, a perennial favourite of Morris. Victorian ‘glasshouse’ style flooring allied to distressed woods and eclectic combinations of banquet and ‘tub’ chair seating create a relaxed, lived-in feel, all contributing to a unique dining experience. Phoebe Smith brings the great bothy resource to life and reminds us of a cultural truth close to the centre of our humanity – that the provision of shelter is to be freely given to needy travellers who pass among us. Her book is a job well done.

The Mountain Bothies Association

Who needs feather beds and five-star luxury when a real wilderness experience is there for the taking?

Kearvaig Bothy

Creating The Scottish Bothy Bible was a life-changing experience for me, and I hope Scottish Bothy Walks will encourage even more people out into the hills. Enjoy the descriptions of the walks and the photographs that accompany them. Hopefully they will inspire you to make your own journeys and build lasting relationships with the bothies and mountains that I know and love. Downstairs to the right is a rough-and-ready working area. The exposed interior stonework has been whitewashed and the floor retains much of its original cobbling. To the left, an interior door leads into a communal, wood-panelled room, a little cramped owing to a low ceiling but homely nonetheless.

Scottish Bothy Bible guide book - Wild Things Publishing

Phoebe Smith is responsible for bringing bothies into more mainstream popularity, and her book is a good read. 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. A place of pilgrimage for many bothy enthusiasts, the combination of apprehension, satisfaction and invigoration provided by the challenge of heading out here is only complemented by the almost palpable solitude and isolation experienced on your arrival. A bothy is a simple shelter in remote country for the use and benefit of all who love being in wild and lonely places. Please support the Mountain Bothies Association (MBA) which maintains all the wonderful bothies described in this guide. A visit to the spectacular 200m waterfall Eas a’ Chual Aluinn (waterfall of the beautiful tresses), the highest in the UK, is a must.The Mountain Bothy Association bothies are open to all and for no charge. Donating to, or joining, the MBA is a good way to pay our way and help keep the bothies alive for the future. Bothy books Unless you are planning to arrive by kayak, or take a boat trip from the Kylesku Hotel, there is no direct route to Glencoul. Approaches from West and North both require concentration and good navigation skills, particularly in poor weather conditions. Key Attractions: Stop off at Samye Ling Tibetan Buddhist monastery west of the bothy; the tea room is decorated in traditional Tibetan style.

BOTHIES IN SCOTLAND - Huts and Cabins Glamping

MOUNTAIN BOTHY ASSOCIATION 10% of the proceeds from this book go to the MBA for the upkeep of their bothies. www.mountainbothies.org.ukBurn only timber that is clearly firewood and never cut live trees. Fences and adjacent buildings belong to someone and though they may look neglected they should never be plundered for fuel. Respect our agreement with the estate 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. The bothy that allows you to see all this and more is a hunting lodge built in 1877. 15 metres from the bothy there's the remains of a farmhouse, which now lies in ruin, but the date carved into one of the extended beams beneath the roof. The building was abandoned 40 years ago and had become a little the worse for wear when an MBA renovation team extensively refurbished both the interior and exterior in 2009. A family lived in the house next to the bothy (which was used as a school for the children) during the late 19th century until the 1950s. The bothy itself is small, containing two rooms, a common area with a fireplace, and a bedroom that sleeps four (maybe more at a squeeze). Located close to the bothy is Eas a Chual Aluinn (waterfall of the beautiful tresses), the UK’s highest waterfall with a sheer drop of 200 metres.