Picture a classic photograph of a sweeping Scottish landscape, and there’ll likely be a small stone shelter or cottage somewhere in the frame. These bothies, scattered across the wilderness, were once shelters for farm workers or their families, now left to ruin. But in recent years, the UK’s Mountain Bothies Association has been on a mission to restore as many of these structures as possible. There are now over 100 throughout the country serving as free-to-use, first-come-first-served shelters for weary hikers to rest their heads overnight.
To hunker down in a bothy, you’ll first have to scout them out – check this book for their locations – and be warned: they’re very simple inside (you’ll be lucky even for a bed). Then there’s no guarantee someone else won’t have beaten you to it when you arrive. For those who want proper immersive countryside with a side of home comforts, we’ve scouted out some wonderful alternatives on Airbnb. These have all the crumbly stone charm and bucolic surroundings you could hope for, with a few extra luxe features such as wifi, saunas, plush double beds and hot showers.
Below are the best cottages in Scotland to book now, for a bothy-style stay that doesn’t scrimp on style, or see here for our guide to the best hotels in Scotland.