Strathallan.
I couldn’t imagine what it might be like being a child in a bothy, being able to sleep out in a stone shelter in the middle of nowhere, being allowed to stay up late by a fire blazing, drinking a cup of hot chocolate in my pyjamas. So I don’t know how a little girl called Ellie felt when her mother brought her to Kettleton Byre, one summer in 2014, and they spent two nights curled up in their momentary home shut away from the rest of the world, far from TVs and mobile phones.
Always be sure to look for the bothy book when you arrive
After reading about their adventure in the bothy book, high above the farming land, I went outside to sit on the little bench. Under the stars I listened to the sounds – a distant ’baa’ from a sheep, the swoop of a bat overhead, the ’go-back’ call of the grouse among the long tufts of grass. Up here my phone had no reception, I couldn’t speak to anyone, couldn’t check my email or go on Twitter to share my story. I was removed from all the distractions we thrust at ourselves to block out the time we spend alone.
I lingered a while thinking how near I was to the rest of the world, yet how far removed I felt from it. Despite the early autumn warmth I felt myself tingle – a shiver or a burst of excitement, in my current predicament – I know not which one. But there I stayed, dwelling on this sensation just a little longer.
Eventually, I checked the time and was taken aback to realise it was already the next day – five past midnight to be exact. I thought of what other people my age would be doing on this, a Saturday night. Some would be out in the pub, surrounded by snippets of other people’s conversations – the yell of an overexcited storyteller in one corner, the hushed toned of a confession in another – others would be at home with their loved ones snuggled up on the couch, with the warmth of central heating, their faces turned multi-coloured by the glow of the light from the television. But me? I was here alone in a bothy, on my own mini-adventure.
I went inside and changed ready for bed, threw another log on the fire and began to boil some water so that I might make some hot chocolate. Then I caught sight of myself in the reflection in the window. I chuckled... I may be a lot older than five but I was lying before – I knew exactly what it felt to be Ellie, and it made me smile.
Alternative route
Hard: If you want to explore some of the Lowther Hills before you reach your shelter, then instead of heading south out of the village of Durisdeer, head north on a track that takes you to the top of Durisdeer Hill. From there follow the fenceline (pathless) first to Little Scaw’d Law, Scaw’d Law and then on to Glenleith Fell. Now pick up a wider track down to Blackhill Moss. Turn right onto the main track and then follow it round to the north, to approach the bothy from the south. It will be on your right.
Top tip
There’s lots of flat ground outside the bothy, as this used to be the site of several buildings, and this offers a good Plan B if the building is full. Don’t light a fire outside as others clearly have done. Note that during lambing season (15 April to 31 May) the bothy is not available.
Kettleton Byre essentials
| Maps | OS Explorer 329; OS Landranger 78 |
| Grid ref | NS 912 020 |
| Terrain | Tarmac to start, then loose stone, followed by grassy Landrover track |
| Water source | Stream just before the gate to the bothy |
| Facilities | Stove (no fuel, bring your own); shovel |
| Building | Stone and brick construction, tile roof |
| Inside | This bothy is made up of just one room. You enter via a small porchway area, then go through the door to the main room. Here there’s an L-shaped raised sleeping platform that comfortably sleeps four. There’s also a small table, a couple of chairs and a stove. |
| Nearby hills | Wedder Law, Scaw’d Law, Little Scaw’d Law |
GLEN COE
Taigh Seumas a’ Ghlinne
The birthplace of a man once framed for murder, this bothy has a dark tale to tell
Taigh Seumas a’ Ghlinne was home to James of the Glen, who was wrongfully convicted of the murder of Colin Campbell in 1752
It’s not many a bothy that has an interpretation board outside it. But Taigh Seumas a’ Ghlinne is different. For here is the birthplace of a man called James Stewart, aka James of the Glen. His name may not be legendary to many, but dig a little deeper into the tale surrounding the man who used to call this small bothy home and I guarantee you’ll be captivated. Indeed, author Robert Louis Stevenson was – for the history that surrounds it formed the basis of his book Kidnapped.
Back in 1752, on 14 May, a man called Colin Campbell was murdered – shot in the back in Ballachulish. A search was mounted to bring his killer to justice. The finger was pointed at the Stewarts of Appin, as they had been served eviction notices by none other than Campbell himself. James was the one held accountable and – despite him having an alibi for the time of the murder – that same year he was found guilty for being an accessory and hung in November at a place called Cnap a’Chaolais.
Stories abound that it was actually Allan Stewart who pulled the trigger that fateful night and that James knew nothing about it, but Stewart absconded and the Campbells wanted to see someone hang. And, as the Campbell Clan Chief served as judge at the trial, and 11 of the 15 jury were also Campbells, it was anything but a fair day in court.
Right until the end James protested his innocence. Even as he was hung near the present-day south end of the Ballachulish Bridge he recited a psalm that is now named after him, distraught that history would remember him as a murderer.
In answer to his fears, even as recently as 2008 a movement to get a pardon for James Stewart was put forward to the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission. It was thrown out due to the age of the case, but protestors are still trying to make it happen.
So if you go down to the woods today to seek out this tree-lined shelter, remember the man who once called this modest place home and the miscarriage of justice he faced all those years ago.
Look out for...
Wildlife: Keep a lookout in the trees during your walk-in, as you may spot pine marten, owls and red squirrels. Wild cats have been spotted in the area too. Look to the skies and among the sea birds you may – if you’re lucky – see raptors or even golden eagles.
History: After a night in the bothy it’s worth heading to Duror village to see the Achara Stone, an odd standing stone that sits in a field just off the main road. Investigations by the local community suggest that this particular one (there are many throughout Scotland) was erected during the Bronze Age (1800BC). It’s thought to be a ’backsight marker’ or viewing point of the moon.
Did
