1001 Uses for a Shipping Container #204: A Bothy

What is a ‘Bothy’?

More commonly found in rural areas, particularly Scotland, a bothy is a basic shelter for anyone to use free of charge. They are usually left unlocked and available for use, and may be stocked with basic supplies. Bothy is also a term for basic accommodation, usually for gardeners or other workers on an estate. Bothies are found in remote mountainous areas of Scotland, Northern England, Ulster, Wales and the Isle of Man. Imagine how cosy you’d feel if you came across one of these on a cold and wet walking adventure, with a good fire burning in the hearth. For simple overnight stays there is not usually any registration or permission needed, if you find a Bothy on your walk (and it’s not locked), you can use the facilities overnight, only longer stays will need permission from the owner.

Although not used as commonly as they used to be we think Bothies are a great idea – especially if they’re made from shipping containers!

Unlike other accommodation conversions Bothies typically don’t include any bathroom/toilet facilities, although a spade may be provided for your convenience!

Whilst this example shipping container bothy wasn’t supplied by us, we love the imaginative design and amazing location for this setup. 

Bothy Code

The Bothy Code outlines what’s asked of users to ensure these facilities are fit for use by the next arrivals:

Respect Other Users

Please leave the bothy clean and tidy with dry kindling for the next visitors. Make other visitors welcome and be considerate to other users.

Respect the Bothy

Tell us about any accidental damage. Don’t leave graffiti or vandalise the bothy. Please take out all rubbish which you can’t burn. Avoid burying rubbish; this pollutes the environment. Please don’t leave perishable food as this attracts vermin. Guard against fire risk and ensure the fire is out before you leave. Make sure the doors and windows are properly closed when you leave.

Respect the Surroundings

If there is no toilet at the bothy please bury human waste out of sight. Use the spade provided, keep well away from the water supply and never use the vicinity of the bothy as a toilet.
Never cut live wood or damage estate property. Use fuel sparingly.

Respect Agreement with the Estate

Please observe any restrictions on use of the bothy, for example during stag stalking or at lambing time. Please remember bothies are available for short stays only. The owner’s permission must be obtained if you intend an extended stay.

Respect the Restriction On Numbers

Because of over crowding and lack of facilities, large groups (6 or more) should not use a bothy.
Bothies are not available for commercial groups.

How do I get it to where I need it?

Although a shipping container can be cheaply and easily converted to a Bothy, getting it to a remote location can be a different story. The ideal place for a Bothy is out in the wilderness, a long way from the beaten track and in the sort of location you may find yourself in after a long walk.

Our delivery vehicles are heavy and cannot drive on grass. If you have access to farm machinery then you can move the container into place with a tractor or telehandler, we’ve even had customers requesting delivery by helicopter! (for reference we cannot quote for this but can quote for delivery to a suitable location for the container to be picked up by a helicopter that you arrange).

Our 10ft and 20ft shipping container conversions can come with fork pockets to help handling via a tractor with large hay bale forks, or a telehandler or similar. They can also come with lifting points on the top and bottom 4 corners. 

Can I rent out a Bothy?

Bothies are normally provided by landowners for their own use and for the use of people walking in the area. They are usually left unlocked and available for use free of charge, although some have been marketed as holiday lets. The Bothy in the pictures was/is available on Airbnb at £195 per night, quite a sum for a cosy bolthole with very few facilities.

Where to buy a shipping container Bothy

We can offer conversions on any of our shipping containers that can include lining and insulation, double and triple glazed window units with shutters. Whilst we haven’t yet included a log burner into a conversion, or serious solar powered setups for lighting and heating, these are all possible options. We can supply the fully kitted out shipping container ready for use, or we can always do the metalwork and leave you to finish the final fit out if you wanted to do some of the work yourselves but aren’t equipped to weld. 

Budgetshippingcontainers.co.uk offer the UK’s largest online range of shipping containers for sale with a nationwide network of storage and conversion yards and crane equipped delivery vehicles.

If you need a shipping container feel free to browse our online range of shipping containers for sale. You can also call us on freephone 0808 1234 215 any time 9am – 5pm weekdays and our team will be happy to discuss your requirements. Alternatively, you can use our online shipping container quote form or request a telephone callback. In both cases we aim to get back to you within 1-2 working hours (may take longer for more detailed quotes).