A guidebook celebrating the bothies of England, Scotland and Wales: a network of huts, cottages and shelters – often in remote mountainous locations – that are completely free to use. The author presents a selection of 26 of her favourite bothies, with notes on access, water, facilities, history and wildlife-spotting opportunities.

• Includes advice on how to use bothies and bothy etiquette
• Routes (with mapping) to all of the 26 bothies featured, plus suggestions for what to do when you get there (including nearby hills you might climb)
• A history of bothies
• Personal recollections of visits to the 26 bothies
• Taigh Seumas a' Ghlinne (Glen Coe), Ben Alder Cottage, Ruigh Aiteachain, Ryvoan, Shenavall, Warnscale Head, Greg's Hut and Nant Syddion
• The majority of bothies are in the Scottish Highlands, but the guide also includes bothies in Dumfries and Galloway, Northumberland, the Pennines, the Lake District, Snowdonia, Mid-Wales and the Brecon Beacons

Map key
Overview map

Introduction

Welcome to the wonderful world of bothying
What are bothies?
History of bothies
Facilities to expect
Why bothy?
Finding a bothy
MBA or not?
The bothy book
Safety issues
Etiquette
Traditions
How you can help
What to take when bothying
A note on fuel
The best bothies – or why these 26?

Scotland

Dumfries and Galloway

Tunskeen

Lowther Hills

Kettleton Byre

Glen Coe

Taigh Seumas a’ Ghlinne

Scottish Highlands

Lairig Leacach

Dalwhinnie

Ben Alder Cottage

Great Glen

Blackburn of Corrieyairack

East Highlands

Ruigh Aiteachain

Balmoral

Glendar Shiel Stable

Cairngorms

Bob Scott’s
Hutchinson Memorial Hut
Ryvoan

Wester Ross

Easan Dorcha (The Teahouse)
Shenavall

Isle of Skye

The Lookout

Torridon

Craig

Sutherland

The Schoolhouse
Glencoul

Sandwood Estate

StrathChailleach

Wales

Brecon Beacons

Grwyne Fawr

Mid-Wales

Nant Syddian

Snowdonia

Arenig Fawr

Carneddau

Dulyn

England

Lake District

Warnscale Head
Mosedale Cottage

Pennines

Cross Fell

Northumberland

Kershopehead
 

Seasons

Bothies are accessible year-round.

Centres

Wales: Snowdonia, Brecon Beacons, Devil's Bridge. England: Buttermere and Mosedale (Lake District), Dufton (Pennines), Kielder Forest Park (Northumberland). Scotland: Highlands and Isle of Skye, Glenduror Forest, Fort Augustus, Spean Bridge, Rannoch Moor, Cairngorms, Galloway Forest, Fisherfield, Sandwood Bay, Oykel Bridge.

Difficulty

Good level of fitness and ability required. Some of the bothies featured can be reached in a half day's walk, on easy to follow bridleways and paths; others require technical and/or navigation skills, especially in winter, with some river crossings or scrambling.

Must See

Bothies in this book cover some of the UK's wildest spots. Highlights included Sandwood Bay, Fisherfield forest, the Isle of Skye, Mosedale in the Lake District, the Torridon coastline, Rannoch Moor, Ben Alder, the Cairngorms National Park, Galloway Forest and Snowdonia's Carneddau.

September 2015

Updates

Free Royal Mail 48 postage on UK orders. European postage is £3.50 per item. Worldwide postage is £5.50 per item. If you're not happy with your purchase for any reason, we'll give you a full refund.