To maintain simple shelters in remote country for the use of all who love wild and lonely places

A recipient of the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the Mountain Bothies Association is a charity which maintains about 100 shelters in some of the remoter parts of Great Britain.

With the permission and support of the owners, these shelters are unlocked and are available for anyone to use. All of our maintenance activities are carried out by volunteers. We welcome new members who want to support our work, either by attending work parties or by contributing financially through subscriptions and donations. Without this support, many of these unique shelters would be lost forever. If you love the outdoors and wild places, please consider joining us.

For information about using bothies, please see FAQs below

Please be aware that this website is the only up to date source of information about MBA bothies and regular updates will be given here.
Please consult the relevant bothy page before your visit and observe any restrictions on use. Information provided in books, magazines and social media platforms may be incorrect, misleading or out of date. Some MBA bothies are locked by their owners during certain periods; details of those are noted on the individual bothy pages on this website. Unless stated otherwise, bothies are available throughout the year.

Important information for MBA members regarding log in to the Member’s area
 ***  To renew membership or check your membership status, please log on to the Member’s Area **
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  • Respect the Bothy
  • Respect Other Users
  • Respect the Surroundings
  • Respect Agreement with the Estate
  • Respect the Restriction On Numbers

Read The Code

Frequently Asked Questions

A bothy was originally farm accommodation for itinerant workers; now a bothy is an open shelter usually in a remote location where travellers might have need of four walls and a roof. Most bothies are old cottages and at least several hours walk from the public road.

You can’t. We don’t have a booking system. Bothies are open for anyone to use. Just turn up. People using a bothy must expect others to arrive looking for shelter and make room for them if that happens. We advise that you should consider taking a tent if you intend using a bothy in a popular area.

No charges are made for using any bothy in our care. MBA maintained bothies are free at the point of use. We have, however, been known to accept donations from grateful patrons.

You should only expect to find a wind and waterproof building with somewhere dry to sleep. Some bothies have a sleeping platform but at many you have to sleep on a wooden or concrete floor. Most have a fireplace or stove that can be used to provide warmth but you will usually need to carry fuel in. You will also need to take a stove for cooking and candles for light. Water comes from a stream or spring nearby. Do not expect the bothy to have toilet facilities; you will need to use the spade provided. Leave the bothy clean and tidy and don’t forget to shut all doors and windows.

© Copyright Mountain Bothies Association, Edenbank House, 22 Crossgate, Cupar, Fife, KY15 5HW
Mountain Bothies Association is a charity registered in Scotland, no. SC008685 and a company limited by guarantee and registered in Scotland, no. SC191425