Bike accessible bothies in Scotland

[Relayer]

What a great resource you've put up here rual, and the pictures of your latest trip are excellent.

The whole thing is inspiring, thanks rual.

Jim

[Donerol]

Fantastic! 

[nztony]

Excellent resource - printed! Lovely photos of your Dryfehead area - that's the kind of trail I'd definitely like to ride down on my Nomad - made for each other I would say.

[Matt2matt2002]

On my recent stay in Lerwick the hostel had a notice detailing these.
Shetland camping Bods.
Sorry, I can't post their link at the moment.
They appear to be £10 a night converted barns or small houses.
I paid £20 at the hostel.

Anyone any experience of them?
Pretty sure they just cover Shetland.

Matt

[rualexander]

Was down in the Borders again last weekend, and took the Brompton for a spin up to the head of the Ettrick valley (past Shorthope farm, Matt) and up the mile or so of track to Over Phawhope bothy.
First ride with new Spa Nidd saddle, which felt pretty comfortable, if pretty hard at the same time.
Also first time I've had the Brompton off sealed road surface and was pleasantly surprised at how good it was on the track surface, which was quite rocky in places as the track has been recently rebuilt to allow logging trucks access to the forest.
Didn't stay overnight at the bothy, just popped in to have my lunch and a look around, nice bothy.

[nztony]

Matt2matt2002, what an excellent resource, they look fantastic and £10 seems exceptionally good value.
I found the link: http://www.camping-bods.com/index.asp

rualexander, Excellent, wonderful scenery, wonderful photos - I've love to cycle on roads and areas like this.

Tony

[rualexander]

Finally got around to using my own list again, with a wee four day, 100 mile tour of three bothies in south west Scotland.

Parked the car in the village of Straiton in Ayrshire and set off on Sherpa into Galloway Forest Park to spend the first night at Tunskeen bothy, access is easy with only the last km being on a rougher track requiring the odd bit of walking. Nice bothy, very roomy inside and good stove to get a fire going.

Next day, carried on through the forest park around the edge of Loch Doon and out to the main road near Dalmellington, couple of km on the main road then took minor road east into Carsphairn forest and onto forest tracks up to Sware Brae near new windfarm. Due to windfarm construction works and traffic I cut off the track early and headed downhill across rough country to the Bow Burn and then followed that over hard going tussock grass to eventually reach Clennoch bothy, which does not have a fire 

Day three, headed south from Clennoch on fairly good estate tracks and minor roads to St John's Town of Dalry and from there minor roads to Clatteringshaws Loch in Galloway Forest Park again, forest tracks took me the last few kms to White Laggan bothy, which is in a great location and has a stove 

Final day, through Glen Trool out to minor road then turned north and headed up over Nick of the Balloch pass back into Ayrshire and back to the car in Straiton.

Great wee trip in superb weather.

Left the panniers at home for this trip and decided to try 'bikepacking' style travel, with my sleeping bag slung over handlebars in an Alpkit Airlok drybag and my Thermarest held in a Gorilla Cage, with everything else in my more traditional Carradice Super C saddlebag.
The observant will notice from the photos that initially the saddlebag was attached to my saddle via a Carradice Classic rack but later was mounted on my normal rear rack. This was because the combination of weight and rough tracks caused the saddlebag to bounce around a bit and the tangs on the classic rack bent the saddlebag loops on my saddle and the tangs could no longer hold the bag in place. I think if I had been on good road surfaces everything would have been fine though.

Photo slideshow of trip here https://www.flickr.com/photos/rualexander/sets/72157665521169960/show?rb=1

[Donerol]

Fabulous - the complete slideshow is amazing. I'm quite envious - I would love to do something like that, but know that I would freeze miserably at night. It can be hard enough keeping warm at home!

[in4]

Absolutely fabulous. If seeing these photos doesn't get you astride your bike then nothing will. I particularly liked the night shots of the bothies and starlight. Thanks for sharing.

[Matt2matt2002]

Ah, the memories.
I had the shop in St. Johns Town of Dalry for 18 years.
Moved up to Aberdeenshire 3 years ago.
So I know that area quite well. Yes, great touring country.
Thanks for the photos.
Matt

[rualexander]

Matt,
I was in the shop for a can of Coke and a wee tub of Galloway ice cream! Nice wee village.

[StillOld]

Glad this thread was resurrected...thanks Rual....this will give me an option when I revisit Scotland this year.

[Matt2matt2002]

Matt,
I was in the shop for a can of Coke and a wee tub of Galloway ice cream! Nice wee village.

That's good to hear. We sold it to a nice lady who had grown up in the village before moving to Edinburgh. She divorced and wanted to return to the village where her father ran the local garden centre.
She gutted the shop after we left and put the Post Office in.
All good changes. If we had stayed we probably would have done the same.
Pub opposite is good for food, if you return.
Matt

[Matt2matt2002]

Matt2matt2002, what an excellent resource, they look fantastic and £10 seems exceptionally good value.
I found the link: http://www.camping-bods.com/index.asp

rualexander, Excellent, wonderful scenery, wonderful photos - I've love to cycle on roads and areas like this.

I hope to have 4 days back on Shetland in 2 weeks time and will be using the Bods for accommodation.
I like to camp but March/ April too early in the year that far north.
Yes, I know. I'm a softy.
 
Tony

[Hoodatder]

Thanks for all your information and photos Rual - top drawer!!

You could feel the crispness in the air from the photos and nigh on smell the peat and vegetation. What a glorious location to cycle and have the place to yourself.

As mentioned in previous replies, it has stimulated the imagination and whetted the appetite for investigation.

Thanks a million.

Hoot