Project Name: The Abyssinia Bothy

Build Type: Volunteer

Location: Arrochar, Scottish Highlands

Date: Spring 2017

Company: The Mountain Bothy Association

Nestled in the windy Glen Kinglas near Loch Lomond, the Abyssinia bothy provides a warm shelter and refuge to those exploring the surrounding mountains of Beinn Ime and Ben Vane. The bothy, was originally built as a shepherd’s cottage in the late 1800’s but was abandoned after the First World War. Falling into disrepair, the stone structure became a place of storage for animal feed and hay until being donated to ‘The Mountain Bothy Association’ in 2017.

The MBA are a wonderful organisation that maintains simple shelters across the UK in remote countryside for the use and benefit of those who love wild places. I spent 3 weeks with the MBA working through all stages of the build seeing the structure turn from an empty stone shell to a warm and welcoming mountain bothy. We were even paid a visit from the BBC’s Country file Diaries!

The Bothy Build was a great insight into restoration and historic building preservation, with the client being the hiker, this build was very close to the heart.

For more of an insight into the Abyssinia bothy and ‘The Mountain Bothy Association’ click the link below…