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A remote loch in the Scottish Highlands.
In Mid February 2025 my hillwalking friend John, who I've known since the 1980's, kindly invited me on a weekend trip up to Pitlochry. He was hill bagging in the area but fancied an overnight stop in a bothy as well. Above is the track in.
I'll not name it as it's not an MBA one and if it has a name I've forgotten it. Just a basic wooden hut but the last time I was in here with friends it was in a blizzard with 70 mile an hour winds and snow falling inside it due to numerous gaps in the timbers. A surreal occasion that sticks in the mind, like being inside a snow globe yet sitting beside a coal fire, getting an occasional light dusting of thick flakes falling around you. It's still a drafty bothy if the wind blows but we were just thankful it was open and available as that last outing was 20 years ago. Only one room but a good fire.
The usual good night was had beside the fire with food and drink. Later on in this trip I sampled a taste of a 4 star hotel lifestyle but I did not envy the guests there at all. This for me is perfect.... and free.
We also had a ghost dog with us. Front half dog... back half constructed of rubbish found in the bothy.
Wooded islands near the bothy.
The walk out again in the morning. It was very mild for midwinter, damp and grey but it didn't rain.
Central Highland Scenery near the bothy.
On the way back to Pitlochry, a small but prosperous Highland town, it did start raining gently. John was intent on doing a hill not far from the Corbett Ben Vrackie, 841 metres and a fine viewpoint but one of the real joys for me, at my age, is that I no longer have to go up them. I climbed Ben Vrackie decades ago and enjoyed it but did not fancy doing it again in this type of weather.
Luckily John's route to the hill passed through Pitlochry so I got dropped off for a few hours exploration of this fine Victorian spa town. Unlike most Highland towns it has retained a prosperous and genteel air about it and I was surprised how busy it was for mid February. It was jam packed with tourists and traffic. Pavements and main road both heavily congested. The usual Scottish tourist season 20 years ago used to be around six months from May to October but by the number of visitors here it's all year round now.
Unlike Bowling, where I was miffed by the number of tourists at that location, I didn't mind it here at all as I wasn't looking to get parked anywhere, luckily enough, and it's also decades since my last proper visit. It's quite a posh place but being fixated years ago on hill lists we only ever stopped here briefly for takeaway chips.
So it felt good to wander around and see the place properly in 2025.
The Rob Roy Way sign. A multi day trek from Drymen to here apparently... or you can do it in reverse.
And that was just the start of my small adventure here.... to be continued.
9 comments:
I'm starting to mind tourists dreadfully. I didn't mind when it was just a season but now you just can't get any peace anywhere. They've even started flooding into purely working areas - which I really object to!
That bothy looks like a railway hut - and they were often draughty with gaps between the sleepers too!
That bothy is very practical. Love your description of fire. My Dad loved a good fire, he knew how to build one and he knew how to make sure it was extinguished properly. ( Just like you, I bet.) Would you believe it, there is a rather posh neighborhood a few miles from me, and they have a "Pitlochry Street"! The neighborhood is "Lochinver"! Richard says they could spell it right!
Built as an estate fishing bothy I think Carol but not allowed to fish there anymore, according to reports, due to anti social behaviour, leaving rubbish and the like. We were just glad it was still there as many private bothies we used to visit 20 years ago are now shut and sometimes you only find out when you arrive at it to find it gone completely or locked up.
Hi Kay, yes it's basic but has everything we need for a good night. Talking of posh neighbourhoods a lot of USA Hollywood types have recently moved over to the UK to get away from Trump and they build massive properties here which our locals complain about as they can soon turn scenic areas populated by mostly local families into upmarket enclaves dotted with star appeal where ordinary folk can no longer afford to live in that area... so more stars move in as only they can afford it. It's a big problem here now with second homes built but unoccupied for most of the year. Also Air B and Bs turn what used to be quiet villages into party resorts as anyone can book/rent them for stag do's, rave up's, hen nights etc...
I am definitely not the rugged type - I think I’ll stick to hotels! Or at least good, solid cottages.
Very true about the Air BnBs - and very terrible too! :-(
Hi Anabel, I think most women are like that, and a lot of men, especially over the age of 30 or 40 if even before that age they might have enjoyed camping or the occasional bothy night, mainly because they like showers and smelling nice. The only time I was ever coaxed into hotels was in Australia with my sister and her friends but that time I didn't mind it at all as I'd already witnessed the lethal creepy crawlies in the bush first hand and was too scared to go camping over there. It was money well spent in that case with hand sized spiders and venomous giant centipedes that gave me nightmares even thinking about sleeping outdoors at night.
Beautiful photos. I am very happy to have found you again 😊 We used to follow each other when I had my old blog...Linda's Peaceful Place. I had no computer for over 7 years and lost access to my old blog. I just started blogging again the end of March..Linda's Relaxing Lair.
Hi Linda, Yes I've still got your old blog on my sidebar list. Welcome back to blog land and best wishes. I will update it once I remember how to do it.
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