A bothy is a simple shelter in a remote part of Britain, usually an old cottage, hut or farm building that has been kept weatherproof for walkers and other travellers. You normally do not book one. You do not expect hotel comforts. You arrive with your own food, sleeping kit and common sense, which is perhaps the most important item and the one least likely to be listed on a packing checklist.
Most bothies are found in Scotland, with others in northern England and Wales. They are closely linked with hill walking, long-distance routes and nights in wild country. For many people, a bothy is simply a roof and four walls at the end of a hard day. For others, it is part of the point of the journey.
What Does the Word “Bothy” Mean?
The word originally referred to basic accommodation for workers, especially farm labourers and estate workers. Over time, it became associated with simple buildings in remote country that offered shelter to people travelling through the hills.
The Mountain Bothies Association, usually called the MBA, describes a bothy as something closer to camping without a tent than a holiday cottage. That is a useful way to think about it. A bothy may keep the rain off, but it does not promise a mattress, hot shower, electric kettle or cheerful person at reception holding your room key.
If you are planning a wider trip through the country, our guide to England, Ireland and Scotland gives useful context for distances, weather and travel planning. Bothies tend to sit well beyond the convenient bits.
Where Are Bothies Found?
Most MBA-maintained bothies are in Scotland. There are also bothies in England and Wales. They are often in mountain areas, glens, coastal wilderness or other places where getting there takes real effort.
Some are several hours on foot from the nearest road. A few may be easier to reach, but the general idea remains the same: they are remote shelters, not roadside accommodation.
This is one reason the weather matters so much. British hill conditions can change quickly, and our older look at UK weather is a useful reminder that “British weather” is less a forecast than a collection of possible moods.
What Is Inside a Bothy?
Usually, not much.
A typical bothy may have bare walls, a hard floor, a simple sleeping platform, benches and perhaps a fireplace or stove. Some have separate rooms. Some have very little beyond a dry interior.
You should not assume there will be running water, electricity, toilets, beds, cooking equipment, fuel or mobile phone signal. Even a fireplace does not mean there will be anything to burn.
In other words, take the equipment you would normally carry for a basic camping trip. The main difference is that the building may save you from pitching a tent in rain and wind. That can feel like luxury after six wet miles, even if the floor is stone.
Do You Have to Book a Bothy?
Most MBA bothies are open shelters and cannot be booked in the way a hostel or cottage can. You simply arrive. Other people may arrive too, and everyone is expected to make room.
This matters on popular routes. You cannot claim a bothy because you reached it first. You also cannot assume there will be enough comfortable sleeping space for everyone. Carrying a lightweight tent or emergency shelter is sensible when a bothy is important to your route.
Are Bothies Free?
MBA-maintained bothies are free to use at the point of use. Donations and memberships help support maintenance, and much of the work is done by volunteers.
That arrangement works because visitors treat the buildings with care. A free shelter in a remote glen is not a mysterious public service that repairs itself overnight. Someone has to carry materials in, fix roofs, clear drains and repair damage.
What Is the Bothy Code?
The Bothy Code is a simple set of expectations built around respect. You respect the building, the owner, other users and the surrounding land.
- Take your rubbish away.
- Do not damage the building.
- Do not cut live wood for fires.
- Use fuel responsibly.
- Keep groups small.
- Do not disturb livestock or estate work.
- Use toilets responsibly where none are provided.
- Make room for other people who need shelter.
These habits are not far from ordinary good camping practice. If you enjoy simple outdoor travel, the same leave-no-trace thinking appears in places such as this camping and hiking guide from Noah’s Outdoors, even though the landscape and rules are quite different.
Can You Light a Fire in a Bothy?
Sometimes, but you should never assume you can. Some bothies have fireplaces or stoves. Others do not. Local restrictions, landowner agreements, drought conditions and the availability of suitable fuel all matter.
Do not strip timber from the building, fences or nearby structures. Do not cut live trees. If a bothy allows a fire, bring appropriate fuel where practical and use the fireplace responsibly.
What About Water?
Water is one of the easiest things to underestimate. A bothy may sit near a stream, but that does not automatically make the water safe to drink. Animals, dead wildlife, human waste and agricultural runoff can contaminate apparently clear water.
Carry enough water for the approach and have a reliable method for treating additional water. A filter, purification tablets or boiling may be appropriate depending on the source.
What Should You Take to a Bothy?
- Sleeping bag
- Sleeping mat
- Waterproof clothing
- Warm layers
- Food and stove
- Water and treatment method
- Head torch
- Map and compass
- First-aid kit
- Power bank
- Rubbish bags
- Emergency shelter or tent when sensible
A bothy should reduce your exposure to bad weather. It should not reduce your preparation. Remote travel still requires navigation skills, weather awareness and enough equipment to cope if the building is full, closed or inaccessible.
Can Anyone Stay in a Bothy?
Generally, open bothies are available to walkers and other responsible visitors. You do not need to be a member of the MBA to use an MBA bothy.
However, access can occasionally be restricted. Estate operations, stalking, forestry work, building repairs or local agreements may affect use. Check current information before setting out.
Are Bothies Safe?
The building itself may be solid and dry, but bothying takes place in remote country. The main risks often come from the journey rather than the shelter.
Navigation errors, poor weather, river crossings, cold, injury and darkness can turn a simple walk into a serious problem. Tell someone your route. Check the forecast. Carry a map. Know when to turn back.
It also helps to understand a little of the wider character of the country. Our article on the histories and mysteries of British culture may wander rather more broadly, but bothies fit neatly into Britain’s long habit of keeping old places useful.
Why Do People Love Bothies?
Part of the appeal is simplicity. You walk. You arrive. You light a stove. You dry socks. You eat something that tastes far better than it would at home. Other walkers may appear, and people who would never speak on a train can spend an evening swapping route stories beside a cold fireplace.
A bothy also gives a journey shape. It can be a destination in its own right, or a stopping point on a longer route. The lack of comfort becomes part of the charm, although this is easier to say once you are warm and dry.
A Roof, Four Walls and the Right Expectations
A bothy is not a hotel, hostel or holiday cottage. It is a simple remote shelter kept available through the goodwill of owners and the work of volunteers.
If you arrive prepared, respect the building and leave no mess, a bothy can be one of the most memorable parts of walking in Britain. The luxury is not what is inside. The luxury is finding a dry roof exactly where you need one.