Featured in the Guardian Travel's "10 of the Best Wilderness Holidays in Scotland" get back-to-basics in this beautiful old croft house bothy, hidden on a hillside between the Five Sisters of Kintail and Eilean Donan Castle. With no running water or cooking facilities, this is not for the faint hearted. Bathe in a cold mountain stream, see the stars in the dark night sky, feel the heat from a crackling fire, listen to the waterfall.
The space
bothy
/ˈbɒθi/
noun
(in Scotland) a small hut or cottage, especially one for housing farm labourers or for use as a mountain refuge.
Get the stove on, kick off those shoes and pour a dram. Inhale the fresh Highland air, listen to the sound of the waterfall and breathe. It’s time to relax and get back to basics.
The house – this is the original croft* house, over a hundred years old. Made of thick stone walls, a concrete floor, double glazed windows and insulated corrugated iron roof. There is a wood burning stove but no other heating, so it does get cold. You will need warm layers like woolly jumpers and hats, and slippers to keep your feet cosy. It is the ideal space for two, although there is a fold out sofa bed for an additional guest.
The living room – a big comfy leather sofa, with two recliners to sit back and relax on, hugs the wood burning stove. Wood, firelighters and fire lighting instructions are provided. There is also a chaise lounge that folds out into a sofa bed for an additional guest. Max booking for the croft house is 3 people.
The kitchen – there are no cooking facilities as such, but a basic kitchenette. One step up from camping, with a kettle, cafetière, chopping board, plates and bowls, a sharp knife, glasses, mugs and cutlery so that you can prepare basic food. You are welcome to bring a camping stove. We provide tea, coffee and milk powder. There is a BBQ (bring your own charcoal), two excellent pubs down in the village that serve great local food, and a fabulous German baker across the bridge who does incredible baking, pizza and award-winning gin.
The bedroom – there is a cosy double bed on an upstairs level, reached by a very steep stair, more like a ladder. Please take care when climbing up and down. It is open plan, with a balustrade with views over the living room. Fairy lights create a relaxing atmosphere.
The toilet – is shared, just across the yard. A chance to see the stars at night, and sometimes meet the horses too. Bring a torch!
Water - there is no running water in this old house. There is an old fashioned ceramic jug and basin for bathing, or if you are brave enough, a cold mountain burn for a refreshing dip is just a short walk away. We provide towels, large glass bottles of water from our spring, which bubbles from the hillside nearby, to fill the kettle, and two hot water bottles to hug by the fire or warm your bed.
The location – the croft house is situated 500 feet / 150 meters up a mountain, in the middle of the yard, it is the heart of our croft. There are hens, horses, cats and a dog, who loves a game with a stick. They all roam freely so be prepared to meet them! You can park outside the croft house. There is a picnic bench which is a lovely place to sit and eat your breakfast when the sun is shining.
*an agricultural smallholding, unique to the Highlands and Islands of Scotland
Guest access
Guests have access to the whole hillside that is our croft. There are walks up the hill and walks down the hill. Old sheep paths, tiny roe deer tracks cuttings through bracken, paths yet untrodden.
The hillside is absolutely beautiful. Peaceful and wild. The croft house itself is situated in the middle of the yard. My partner and I live on one side in a cabin, my father on the other in an old byre bothy. We all live and work here, you will see us about, but we will leave you in peace, unless of course you are up for a blether, or would like to come and feed the hens.
There is a BBQ and picnic bench in the yard. We sometimes use them, you are welcome to use them too.
If you need help lighting the fire, need more water or wood, just give us a shout! We are happy to help, answer any questions, tell you about local walks or recommend places to visit in the surrounding area.
We are located 2 miles from the village of Dornie, along a single track road that winds up the hillside. It’s a 30 minute walk with stunning views. The village has a hotel with restaurant, a pub serving food (both highly recommended) and a famous castle. Across the bridge is a superb coffee shop with home baking, and a bakery which has bread-a-plenty, delicious sweet and savoury bites, pizza and award-winning gin. The bridge to the Isle of Skye is 10 minutes drive and there is a supermarket in Kyle of Lochalsh.
Other things to note
Do not expect this old croft house to be immaculate – there will be dust from the old stone walls and spider webs around the windows. But it is a beautiful old space, oozing character. It will caress you. There is a yard full of animals and a waterfall on the hillside above, which you can hear when you lie in bed at night. It is in an amazing location in the heart of the Highlands. All of this is what makes it special!
Just to reiterate so that there are no surprises – there are no cooking facilities or running water. The toilet is just across the yard and is shared. There is no shower or bath, but there are bathing pools in the burn (stream). The croft house has a wood burning stove, but is a big open space with stone walls and a concrete floor so will be cold. Please come prepared.
There is good 4G mobile signal on the hillside, but due to the thick stone walls of the croft house, your phone will need to be at the window to get signal.
What to Bring:
- warm jumpers, jackets, socks and slippers
- torch or head-torch - it can get very dark at night if the stars are not out and you will need to find your way to the toilet
- waterproofs, walking shoes or boots if planning outdoor adventures, it rains a lot in the Highlands!
- sunscreen & midge repellent in the summer
Registration Details
HI-10532-F
