Charming Scottish cabins and bothies to rent
There is an undeniable romanticism to Scotland, with its vast expanses of rolling heather-covered hills, beautiful lochs and sense of peace. The weather can be questionable and a visit at the wrong time of year will incur the wrath of the midges (best avoided if at all possible) but any visit to the wilder parts of Scotland has people returning time and again. The best way to experience the quieter, rural end of Scotland is definitely by staying in either a lochside cabin or bothy. The latter are long, low stone buildings, historically left unlocked as a place for shelter for anyone who needs it – those who are going on multi-day hikes for example, or people caught out by bad weather. For those on estates, they provided accommodation for gardeners and other estate workers. There are still many of these public bothies around – much like you'd find in Alaska – but other have been bought by private owners and turned into much more functional, charming places to stay. Below are our favourite to book now.
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1/8Killiehuntly bothy, Kingussie
Killiehuntly is a lovely Scottish farmhouse near Kingussie in the Cairngorms, and on its estate you can find a lovely long stone bothy to rent for a couple or family stay. There's a double room and another twin alongside the charming living room and well-equipped kitchen. Outside, the herb garden overlooks the mountains in the distance, providing the perfect place to sit and watch the sun sink below the earth.
- Barley bothy</a>, Aberdeenshire","brand":{"name":""},"id":"665885e8a000dc7d5930284f","index":1,"contentType":"photo","offers":[],"component":"gallery_slide_component"}" data-testid="GallerySlideWrapper">
2/8Barley bothy, Aberdeenshire
The northern lights, a beautiful field of wildflowers, wood-clad interiors and colour-galore – what more could you ask of a bothy stay? This one on a barley farm in rural Aberdeenshire is really lovely and has bright decoration amongst the panelling inside. Think blue painted windowframes with red gingham curtains, and the cosiest box bed imaginable. It's a place to truly escape from it all.
- Black Shed, Isle of Skye</a>","brand":{"name":""},"id":"665885e8270ad54c69f579ee","index":2,"contentType":"photo","offers":[],"component":"gallery_slide_component"}" data-testid="GallerySlideWrapper">
Copyright 2019. All rights reserved.3/8Black Shed, Isle of Skye
Calling this modern construction a shed rather misnomers it; far from a cobwebby, cold, tiny building at the end of the garden, it is a black wood-clad wonder overlooking Loch Dunvegan with spectacular contemporary interiors. It is chic, uncluttered, spare and yet contains everything you need for a comfortable and stylish stay.
SEAN MULHOLLAND4/8Bothan Dubh, Perth
A mere hour away from Edinburgh in the hills of Perthshire is this cantilevered bothy with its deck hovering over a pond. Inside, it's all wood, sleek and cosy, with a double bed that looks out onto farmland beyond from the vast picture window at the foot of the bed. A woodburner inside and another outside provide both warmth and the prospect of some fire-cooking under the stars.
- Sitheil Bothy, Inverlonan</a>","brand":{"name":""},"id":"665885e9270ad54c69f579f0","index":4,"contentType":"photo","offers":[],"component":"gallery_slide_component"}" data-testid="GallerySlideWrapper">
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5/8Sitheil Bothy, Inverlonan
Sitheil Bothy is just one of three at this brilliant property, all sitting overlooking the still waters of Loch Nell, with a shared sauna bothy between them. It's the ideal place for a couple, or to hire all three as a group of friends, each with your own lovely private retreat after a day of hiking and wild swimming. The cabins are only accessible by boat, foot or buggy and as such, the owners have teamed up with local makers to create food provisions that can be delivered straight to your door.
- The Bothy, Glen Dye</a>","brand":{"name":""},"id":"665890ddd8f02af3600f91f1","index":5,"contentType":"photo","offers":[],"component":"gallery_slide_component"}" data-testid="GallerySlideWrapper">
6/8The Bothy, Glen Dye
There are many lovely properties to rent on the Glen Dye estate but there's a true charm to their bothy. It is very large – as bothies go – with vaulted ceilings and refreshingly contemporary, and colourful, interiors. There's unlimited firewood for the stove, a Big Green Egg for wild cooking and even a heated outdoor bath for the ultimate camping without camping touch.
- Ferry Cabin and Bothy, Loch Voil</a>","brand":{"name":""},"id":"65e096ed5a15b849fab29e6e","index":6,"contentType":"photo","offers":[],"component":"gallery_slide_component"}" data-testid="GallerySlideWrapper">
7/8Ferry Cabin and Bothy, Loch Voil
Hotel Monachyle Mhor’s Ferry Cabin and Bothy is an architectural gem, designed by architecture students Mark Kitson and Michael Cockburn. The bothy is centred around a jolly vintage cabinet which demonstrates the benefit of multi-functional thinking. With a pull out table, the surface can become either a prep area or dining space, and tucks away neatly when not in use to create the perception of more room. Owner Tom Lewis says the colour palette also aids the feeling of space, saying “we deliberately kept the kitchen zone white while painting the furniture itself in poppy colours. This way the furniture feels like it’s recessed away from the living space, creating personality without becoming overwhelming.”
- Glen Glack cabins, Dunkeld</a>","brand":{"name":""},"id":"6553432d6aebb7f4ac9f21b5","index":7,"contentType":"photo","offers":[],"component":"gallery_slide_component"}" data-testid="GallerySlideWrapper">
Finn Beales, Alexander Baxter8/8Glen Glack cabins, Dunkeld
This is where to head for a secluded Scottish hideaway on the banks of Cally Loch. Five smart new cabins, carefully designed to blend in with their wooded location on the Atholl Estates in Perthshire, make a stylish base from which to explore the meandering rivers, trails and towns of this historic Scottish region. Of the five cabins – each named after a native tree – four sleep four people, with the fifth, Juniper, sleeping two, clearly with honeymooners in mind, who might want to double up in the outside bath. All have tin roofs and wood-clad exteriors stained black, grey or red.
