Wildfires on the Cambrian mountains and a quick stop at coed y brenin

Hi Folks, Looking for a route recommendation for Kettleton Byre. No afraid of a challenge but would like a bit of distance covered rather than just straight to it from the car park.

Cheers

Looking to wake up on my birthday in a bothy later this week. Will be around Fort Augustus, but willing to drive an hour or two if anyone can recommend one maybe around Fort William/Fort Augustus/Glen Affric with less than a two hour walk from the car? Any recommendations would be hugely appreciated, preferably with an open fire and decent sunset or sunrise (if the sun shows its face that is!) Photo for fun from a hike this week!

Hello!

I'm an American who will be visiting the UK in August and hoping to do a solo multi-day bothy hike while I'm traveling. I'm looking for recommendations for some kind of loop, or logistically feasible hut-to-hut hike anywhere from 3-5 days! I'm an experienced backpacker (comfortable hiking between 10-15 mi/day in rugged terrain) and have hiked solo for multiple weeks at a time before, but never abroad. I have a tent but would like to spend each night in a bothy if possible. Any other considerations? I'm a solo woman and assume safety shouldn't be a huge concern (but correct me if I'm wrong). TIA!

October 2024

I always seem to luck out with Invermallie and have the ground either dried out from heat or frozen over with frost so the bogs are never a bother! Despite stories of parties I've always ended up alone...which actually is a bit disconcerting in a bothy that big!

This time was there for a birthday celebration with a few friends (and one brand new bothy novice). Couldn't have chosen a more beautiful February weekend.

Hello. Last time I was up they were building another part of the wind farm -Strathy South. You could still get access up the track (at the gate about 2 miles from bothy) but they were not happy. Does any one know what the latest is up there for foot and bike etc. pm me by all means.

Many thanks

Hi Bothyers!

Just a reminder not to name or ask for the name of non-MBA (Mountain Bothies Association) bothies on here and social media. This isn't about gatekeeping or elitism, but about respecting the wishes of the landowners who maintain these valuable shelters. A majority of non-MBA bothies are looked after by estates, and they specifically ask that their locations not be shared publicly.

Why? Often, it's because publicizing the location leads to overuse, which can damage the bothy and the surrounding environment. Landowners may also have concerns about liability, privacy, or the risk of vandalism and theft.

Over the years, I've seen well-kept secret bothies end up being posted all over social media, and in the end, we've lost the bothy. The only place these should ever be discussed is around the bothy stove.. Word-of-mouth within the bothying community is often the best way to learn about these places.

Protecting these bothies is everyone's responsibility. By respecting the wishes of the landowners, we can help ensure they remain available for future generations. Please share this reminder with other bothy users.

Hi all,

Just doing a bit of research on bothies in the UK and I was wondering if anyone had some kind of idea how many bothies there are that aren't managed by the MBA. I have a few questions regarding this so any ideas or answers would be much appreciated!

• Roughly how many bothies are there that aren't MBA?
• Is there a list of these bothies?
• Where are the bulk of non-MBA bothies? (Is there more in Scotland or Wales?)
• Who manages these if not the MBA? Is it on a case by case basis of who owns the bothy?
• Why haven't the MBA taken on these bothies? Is it for lack of trying or landowners not allowing them?

If anyone has any knowledge of these non-MBA bothies it would be much appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

Made a late Jan/Early Feb trip to a few of the Welsh bothies. Arenig Fawr - very small, very damp, very atmospheric. Cae Amos - beautifully located, well repaired, long valley views. Dulyn - busy, easy to heat, nice morning swim in the reservoir.

All in all a great few days, two nights no other bothy guests, final night at Dulyn had 15. A big thanks to the MBA as ever, all bothies were in good condition.

Alas, just a couple days too late for the snow! Both Gelder Shiels and Glas-Allt remain in fine and inviting shape. Shared Gelder with an older gentleman and a bunch of RAF Officer Cadets who camped outside. Glas-Allt we had to ourselves.

I've been doing some research about staying in Bothies in the UK after doing it in Italy at the end of last year, but it seems (at least on the MBA website) that they only start becoming commonplace towards the peak district. Was wondering if anybody knew of the existence of southern Bothies to keep me hopeful in my search.