Has anyone ever spent a night in a bothy ?

[WildRosie]

They look very cosy when the fire is roaring away but I wonder if they're damp inside and if the toilet facilities are at least adequate ?

I have no plans to venture to the nearest mountainside quite yet, just curious.

Were you watching Michael Portillo by any chance?

I haven't stayed in a bothy, but have stayed in a mountain refuge in the Alps. Facilities were very basic, and the loo was in a separate hut down a footpath away from the main building.

Planned a night in one when walking near the West Highland Way. It was dirty and stunk of wee. We camped outside instead.

I haven't been watching Michael Portillo .

Yes, I’ve stayed in them - nine that have a toilet though!

Nine = none.

Stayed in one in the Bavarian alps. It was s v wide bed with everyone in sleeping bags in a row. It smelled of feet and farts. Fortunately was smashed on schnapps so slept soundly.

I'm on a Facebook group where people use them a lot - someone had to clear dead mice out of the water bucket in one the other day. No thanks, I'll stick to my tent!!!

There is no generic answer, they vary immensely. Some are wind and water tight with double glazing and a nice toilet. Others are draughty, but watertight and have a composting toilet a few metres away. Others are leaky, damp and dont have any form of toilet. All have mice and are mixed sex so you will be sharing with strange men and women.

Occassionally you will find ones that can be booked for exclusive use but these are not truly bothies in the original meaning. Most are first come first served.

I have stayed in a bothy in the Scottish hills. No toilet facilities other than the great outdoors, water from the nearest stream. To have a roof over your head protecting us from the elements was very welcomed.

I stayed in one in Keilder forest quite a few years ago, no facilities at all, take your own fire wood, utensils, sleeping bags etc and use the fire to cook on. Treat it like camping but in a building.

You can't ' book' a horny , you can only arrive and hope no-one else wanted it also. For example if it sleeps 4 (no beds as such ) and 2 smelly farty people are already there then you just have to get on with it . Don't expect a loo , as the majority don't even have running water or electricity .
Btw if you want a roaring fire , being your own wood or if their is some already you are expected to replenish it . It's not a b & b .

Haha not horny. Bothy.

Namethecat - 🤣

DH stayed in one recently. Unfortunately (being close to New Year perhaps) there was a noisy group there who didn't shut up till 3am. It did have a compost toilet though. It would have been fine without the noisy idiots. There is a website lists all the UK ones.

Slept in many.
None had toilets.
Some had glass in the windows.
They’re not staffed and maintained like really alpine huts.

What @Namethecat said.

cairngormwanderer.wordpress.com/2018/09/11/new-toilets-for-corrour/

Usually the toilet facilities are the great outdoors. Some of the more popular have long drop toilets which are emptied regularly by volunteers (yes really!)

IME you are best to take a tent. Use the bothy as a dry, midge free space in the evening for cooking. A tent on springy turf is a more comfortable bed than a hard floor.

The Norwegians know how to do huts.

DH has stayed in them.

He asked me if I'd be keen.

I said fuck off no.

I saw a TV show with Griff Rhys Jones using one, the toilet was a spade.

I'll stick to hotels thanks.

I've stayed in the equivalent in Africa. Coldest I have ever been. Thick ice outside. A stranger heard my teeth chattering and invited me into his sleeping bag and I was so cold I agreed.

I have stayed in many. They vary greatly in facilities, so if you are fussy, check them out carefully in advance. I have generally enjoyed the experience (apart from the lack of proper bathroom). They are usually quite social and you sit around and chat to the others who are there in the evening. Some of my most fun evenings have been spent in this way.

I'll be giving the world's bothies a miss. Words and pictures just aren't matching up for me.