Back-to-basics: spend the night in a mountain bothy

Stay in centuries-old shelters as you explore Britain's wildest corners

A fisherman's bothy shrouded in mist on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland
'Don't expect anything luxurious': a fisherman's bothy on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland
(Image credit: David Fleet / Alamy)

"Nothing worth having comes easy: the phrase rings especially true when it comes to overnighting in a bothy", said Grace Cook in the Financial Times.

The free-to-use shelters have "no running water, no bathroom, no heating and no electricity". But they're increasingly used by hikers looking for a place to camp overnight in the depths of the countryside and "disconnect" from their hectic lives.

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Irenie Forshaw is a features writer at The Week, covering arts, culture and travel. She began her career in journalism at Leeds University, where she wrote for the student newspaper, The Gryphon, before working at The Guardian and The New Statesman Group. Irenie then became a senior writer at Elite Traveler, where she oversaw The Experts column.