Donkey not required
© Book of the Bothy
Exploration

5 incredible places to stay for free in Britain

From haunted huts to those used by royalty - stay for free in some of Britain's incredible bothies...
Written by Phoebe Smith
4 min readPublished on
Left unlocked and free to use, an entire network of basic mountain huts – called bothies – dot the British isles, offering shelter in a storm for those of us who venture into the country’s wildest places.
Here, Phoebe Smith, author of the very first guidebook to Britain’s bothies – Book of the Bothy – gives us her favourite five to get you started.

1. Shenavall, Wester Ross, Scotland

Donkey not required

Donkey not required

© Book of the Bothy

Deep in the UK’s oft-cited ‘last great wilderness’ you’ll find the former home of Mr MacDonald, a deer stalker who lived in this tiny house for 10 years from 1891 with his wife and children. They grew their own vegetables, caught fish, made clothing out of sheep’s wool and relied on a twice-annual trip from a merchant and his donkey for any extras. Nowadays stays are only a maximum of two nights and the donkey supply train is no more – but carry your own rucksack in and you can enjoy a few days exploring the exquisite mountains that surround this bothy – from the spiky An Teallach to the round of peaks that make up a challenge called the Fisherfield Six.

2. Ben Alder Cottage, Dalwhinnie, Scotland

The walk to Ben Alder is definitely worth it

The walk to Ben Alder is definitely worth it

© Book of the Bothy

Rumoured by many to be haunted, Ben Alder Cottage sits a great many miles from anywhere. Whether you approach from Dalwhinnie Station to the north or Rannoch from the southwest, the going is tough. But the location - perched on the edge of Loch Ericht and beneath the flanks of Ben Alder (the mountain), it’s worth every muscle ache of effort. Just be sure to not freak out if things go bump in the night - after all, out here, no one can hear you scream. Mwahahaha…

3. Geldar Shiel Stable, Balmoral, Scotland

Fit for a queen (or at least her horses)

Fit for a queen (or at least her horses)

© Book of the Bothy

Yes – it’s true – her Maj' the Queen does indeed have one of these wonderful shelters on her Royal Scottish estate and even paid for a toilet to be installed around the back to make life easier for us. Formerly the stables for Queen Victoria’s horses, Geldar Shiel Stable used to have a reputation for being one of the coldest bothies in the network. However, thanks to renovations and kind donations, in 2015 it has since been insulated and a stove has been fitted meaning it a truly princely place to pass an evening.

4. Nant Syddion, Mid-Wales

A good place for kite spotting

A good place for kite spotting

© Book of the Bothy

It’s not just Scotland that is blessed with bothies, Wales is home to a small collection too – from Snowdonia in the north to the Brecon Beacons in the south, there are currently eight in the country. They vary in size and include tiny one-roomed affairs to larger abodes like Nant Syddion. This former homestead is found within the forests of Mid-Wales where red kites fill the skies overhead (courtesy of a nearby feeding station). You can reach it on mountain bike or on foot making it the ideal pitstop on your exploration of this little-visited part of The Big Country.

5. Greg’s Hut, Pennines, England

A perfect location to explore the countryside

A perfect location to explore the countryside

© Book of the Bothy

You might be surprised to learn that the highest bothy – in terms of altitude – is not actually in Scotland. Situated in northern England’s gargantuan peaty spine of Pennine hills, is this former bunkhouse for workers from the defunct Katelock lead mine (closed late 1800s). It was saved from dilapidation in 1972 by the Mountain Bothies Association and Mercian Mountaineering Club who had raised funds in memory of their friend and member John Gregory; a climber had sadly died in a climbing accident in Switzerland. Thanks to all of them, we now get to seek much needed refuge in the often-misty moorland and enjoy the real highs of a night spent in a cosy bothy.
Wherever you choose to visit, do be a responsible bothy user. Always follow the bothy code of conduct: take all rubbish out with you – even if it’s not yours; don’t cut live trees for the stove – take your own fuel; if you need the toilet go responsibly – dig a hole using the bothy spade, well away from the building; make room for anyone who needs the bothy – everyone is always welcome; keep group size to a maximum of six; never stay more than two nights without permission. To join or donate to the Mountain Bothies Association – who look after the shelters – see www.mountainbothies.org.uk.