Revealed: How to use Scotland’s remote ‘bothy’ cottages that are free – but you have to share them with strangers and have no toilet facilities (except a shovel)

Dreaming of hiking in Scotland but put off by mosquitoes and bad weather? A bothy could be the answer.

Bothies are small, isolated cottages originally built as accommodation for temporary farm workers. There are around 100 in the UK, mainly in Scotland, although there are a few in Northern England and Wales.

Now the simple shelters are open to any hiker who needs four walls and a roof for the night. And what’s more, they’re free.

So how does it work and what is it like to stay in one? Here’s everything you need to know, courtesy of the Mountain Bothies Association (MBA), a volunteer organisation that maintains bothies, and Dr Kat Hill, author of ‘The Mountain Bothies’Bothy, looking for a simple shelter‘.

They reveal how bothie guests should be prepared to sleep on the ground, that few bothies have toilet facilities – ‘apart from a spade’ – and that an unexpected extra guest could lead to a ‘glass of whiskey and a song’…

MailOnline speaks to Dr Kat Hill (pictured above), author of ‘Bothy – In Search of Simple Shelter’, to get her top tips for using the remote shelters in the UK known as ‘bothies’

Bothies, usually small isolated houses, were originally built as accommodation for temporary farm workers. The shelters are now open to any walker who needs four walls and a roof for the night. Pictured is Maol Bhuidhe bothy, one of Kat’s favourites

No modern conveniences

The MBA explains that ‘it is important to assume that there will be no facilities’, and that there will be ‘no tap, no sink, no beds, no light, and even if there is a fireplace, perhaps nothing to burn’.

The continuation: ‘Bothies may have a simple sleeping platform, but when it’s busy the only sleeping place may be on a stone floor.

‘There are very few bothies with a separate toilet and the advice is to walk at least a few hundred metres from the bothy and 60 metres from the water supply before excavations and evacuations begin.’

Avoid choosing a place that is too remote

Although some bothies are far off the beaten track, Kat says beginners shouldn’t venture too far. She advises: ‘I would choose somewhere that’s not too far away – just to get your teeth into and practice taking the right gear and the right amount. There are plenty of bothies that aren’t too far away.’

Be willing to share

Kat says: ‘Unlike booking somewhere or even having your own tent, you can’t plan who’s going to be in a bothy and you can’t book, so it’s important to be prepared to deal with whoever is there. Be prepared for people to turn up at any time and for there to be a bit of singing, chatting and a glass or two of whisky!

Are they creepy?

Kat says: ‘There are plenty of ghost stories about haunted bothies – the Grey Man, for example, in the Cairngorms, or Ben Alder Cottage. One night when I was staying alone in a bothy, it was a bit of a shock to see a light approaching in the pouring rain – but in the end it was a really nice man from Glasgow walking along the west coast of the UK and it actually made the bothy more cosy to have someone there.’

Don’t forget to bring a spare tent

Bothies can be popular in high season and there may not be enough room for everyone who turns up. Kat says: ‘Always take a spare tent with you in case a bothy is full.’

Although some bothies have a wooden sleeping platform, travellers should be prepared to sleep on the floor – along with any other guests who may turn up. Pictured above is the Ryvoan bothy

Dr. Kat Hill’s book ‘Bothy: A New Memoir About Adventures in the Wilderness in Search of Simple Shelter’ is available at Amazon and other leading book platforms

Pack the right stuff

Cat says: ‘Simple things can make a difference: ensure you have enough water and water purification tablets/fluids, ensure you have good, warm base layers and snacks that keep you fit.

‘Before you go to the bothy, check whether you can collect fuel from the ground or dead wood.’

Respect the ‘bothy code’

The MBA has a Bothy Code that all walkers must follow when using the shelters. There is “no one to clean up after you in a bothy,” says Kat, who adds that walkers should remember to “take what you bring with you” and “leave no trace” of their presence. Walkers can also check the opening hours of bothies on the MBA website. Some are closed during the Scottish deer hunting season.

Stick to the official bothies

Kat says: ‘There’s an unofficial bothy that I know people stay at called the Iron Lodge, quite close to the Falls of Glomach, and I went there with my friend but didn’t really fancy staying. It’s still full of old furniture, ironing boards, kitchen utensils, the windows are broken and the place feels quite creepy.’

The best bothy?

Kat says: ‘There are so many that are beautiful, but I love Maol Bhuidhe in Wester Ross for many reasons. It’s a beautiful location, far from everything, and you get this sense of the majesty of the mountains and the drama of the Scottish landscape.

‘A long walk, but worth it, and the weather was beautiful. But it was also the history that I found interesting, as with so many bothies, and the stories of the families who lived here into the 20th century.’

All official bothies are listed on the MBA website, along with a handy guide to each shelter’s facilities. Visit www.mountainbothies.org.uk.