A bothy is a basic shelter, usually left unlocked and available for anyone to use free of charge.
It was also a term for basic accommodation, usually for gardeners or other workers on
an estate.
Bothies are to be found in remote, mountainous areas of Scotland, northern England, Ireland,
and Wales.
They are particularly common in the Scottish Highlands.
A bothy was also a semi-legal drinking den in the Isle of Lewis.
These, such as Bothan Eòrapaidh, were used until recent years as gathering points for
local men, and were often situated in an old hut or caravan.
Etymology Uncertain history.
Related to both "hut" as in Irish bothan and Scottish Gaelic bothan or bothag.
"Bothy" may be a corruption of the Welsh term bwthyn, also meaning small cottage.
It could also be from Norse būð, cognate with English booth with a diminutive ending.
Character Most bothies are formerly ruined buildings
which have been restored to a basic standard, providing a windproof and watertight shelter.
They vary in size from little more than a large box up to two-storey cottages.
They usually have designated sleeping areas, which commonly are either an upstairs room
or a raised platform, thus allowing one to keep clear of cold air and draughts at floor
height.
No bedding, mattresses, or blankets are provided.
Public access to bothies is either on foot, by bicycle, or boat.
Most bothies have a fireplace, and are near a natural source of water.
A spade may be provided to bury excrement.
Examples There are thousands of examples from which
to draw.
A typical Scottish bothy is the Salmon Fisherman's Bothy, Newtonhill, which is perched above
the Burn of Elsick near its mouth at the North Sea.
Another Scottish example from the peak of the salmon fishing in the 1890s is the fisherman's
bothy at the mouth of the Burn of Muchalls.
Estate examples The best-known estate bothy is the one in
the Royal Gardens at Windsor Castle, which could house about 25 people.
It was used by the improver gardeners and disabled ex-servicemen who worked on the estate.
Most reasonably sized estates had a bothy, which housed single men only; in fact, if
they got married, they had to give up the accommodation in the bothy.
The most famous person to live in a bothy of this type was Percy Thrower when he worked
in the Royal gardens.
Another example of an estate bothy is the one at Horwood House, which held just five
men.
There is also one at Attingham Park which is being restored along with the walled gardens.
Bothy etiquette Although free, use of bothies is to some extent
governed by the bothy etiquette: Fuel for the fire should be brought, or if
fuel stored in the bothy is used, more should be gathered to replace what is used.
Many bothies are located far from any trees, though peat may provide an alternative fuel.
However, peat digging is likely to be discouraged, to protect the local landscape and ecology.
Candles are usually to be found; as with fuel, these should be replaced if used.
All rubbish should be carried out.
When defecating, ensure that a location well away from the bothy and away from any watercourse
is used.
Large groups and long stays are to be discouraged – bothies are intended for small groups
on the move in the mountains.
Ownership Bothies are usually owned by the landowner
of the estate on which they stand, although the actual owner is rarely involved in any
way, other than by permitting their continued existence.
Some are maintained by the Mountain Bothies Association, who look after 97 bothies in
Scotland, the north of England, and Wales.
The location of bothies is not publicised widely – prior knowledge and word of mouth
are often the only way of finding a bothy.
In popular culture The song Am Bothan a Bh'Aig Fionnghuala is
a traditional song recorded by The Bothy Band in 1976.
See also
Bolt-hole Bothy ballad
But and ben – a simple two room cottage structure
Cleit Mountain hut – building located in the
mountains intended to provide food and shelter to mountaineers, climbers, and hikers
Sheiling Wilderness hut – rent-free, open dwelling
place for temporary accommodation, usually located in wilderness areas, national parks,
and along backpacking routes References
External links Mountain Bothies Association