Our goal on the third day on the iconic West Highland Way hike was to reach the Doune Bothy and spend the night there. From Sallochy Campsite, the distance is cca 22 kilometres or 14 miles, so the longest daily walk so far. I was looking forward to the experience of spending the night in a bothy, under a proper roof and not having to pitch my tent again. I confess, after two nights of sleeping under the canvas roof, however snug, dry and warm, I had enough and did not want to pitch it ever again. It’s just not me.
Doune Bothy On The West Highland Way
I did not really know what to expect from the Doune Bothy. It came up during my research into the West Highland Way hike. I had not heard the term ’bothy’ before then. In the Scottish Highlands, the word refers to a simple, often remote shelter or hut that offers free basic accommodation for outdoor enthusiasts, ramblers and hikers.
Bothies are typically maintained by organizations like the Mountain Bothies Association or privately owned. They provide a respite for those exploring the rugged and picturesque landscapes of the Scottish Highlands. You cannot pre-book, you just arrive and hope those who reached it before you will let you in 😊. There are two bothies on the West Highland Way, both on Loch Lomond, Rowchoish and Doune. So I was keen to include one of them in our itinerary.
Morning In Sallochy Bay Campsite
The Sallochy Bay campsite is an incredible spot. Camping here is a semi-wild experience as the site is a woodland within The Trossachs National Park. Our pitch was so close to the lake that we could hear the splashing of the water against the shore throughout the night. And we also heard an owl hooting for most of the night. I did not sleep well, however, as my tent was not properly tight. It was my own fault for not pitching it properly and very annoying. I reframed the sleepless night as an immersive experience in nature.
We had another slow morning. Jane made us breakfast and teas on her camping stove, which was very welcome. The morning was once again crisp but there was no rain. In fact, the forecast was for a sunny and warm day. There was a family with small kids camping near our pitch. While we were having our breakfasts, the children jumped into the loch with their inflatables, screaming with terror and joy when hitting the cold water. I love swimming and watching them splashing in the water made me want to jump in for a swim, too. Maybe next time.
Hiking From Sallochy Bay To Rowardennan
We set off from the camp at around 11am with a renewed sense of adventure. The trail continued through the very pretty woodlands with the lakeshore a constant companion on our left. After about an hour and a half we reached Rowardennan, a charming lakeside village. We stopped to admire the breathtaking views of Loch Lomond and to have a coffee and a sandwich in the Rowardennan Hotel. This was a planned lunch stop, as we knew we would not be coming upon a restaurant, café or a shop until Inversnaid.
The sun was shining, my backpack didn’t feel so heavy anymore and the views from the trail were incredible. This section of the West Highland Way is so picturesque, with stunning views of the loch, dense woodlands and the surrounding hills. The loch-side stretches of the trail were flat and incredibly scenic. We had a few moderate ascents through the woods but nothing too strenuous. The terrain was like an enchanted forest. Hidden waterfalls, moss-covered boulders and incredible views of Loch Lomond kept revealing themselves to us.
Rowardennan To Inversnaid – The Most Spectacular Walk So Far
We reached Inversnaid Hotel at around 6pm, quite tired at this stage. We went in and had a tea and a small bite to eat. It was so cozy and inviting in there! I was beginning to feel exhausted after my bad night’s sleep and asked at reception if they had rooms available. If they had, I would’ve stayed the night, I felt I was quite ready for a warm shower and a soft bed. Unfortunately, the hotel was full.
There was nothing for it but to press on to Doune Bothy, even though it was getting late. We reasoned that it was only around six and a half kms, or four miles, just over an hour’s walk, in theory.
En Route To Doune Bothy: Rob Roy’s Cave
From Inversnaid Hotel, the West Highland Way is a captivating trail through Scotland’s breathtaking Loch Lomond landscape. We started from the picturesque hotel on the loch’s shore and hiked through lush woodlands, past more cascading waterfalls and along rugged paths. As we traversed the route, we enjoyed incredibly stunning views of the loch and surrounding mountains. The foresty scent of pine needles was everywhere and the warm mountain air fuelled our spirits as we pressed on toward our destination, Doune Bothy.
Not long after we left Inversnaid Hotel we came upon a marker pointing to a hideout of the famous Scottish outlaw Rob Roy MacGregor, which was a pleasant surprise. We stopped and explored the cave tucked away in the rugged cliffs overlooking the loch. We imagined the meetings and adventures that may have taken place here. This was our first encounter with the rich Scottish Highland history on the trail. We did not know it then, but there were many more awaiting us ahead.
Looking For Doune Bothy
When we left Rob Roy’s Cave, I became very worried about darkness falling as I really did not want to walk in the dark. I also did not want to pitch my tent again. My guidebook, thoroughly brilliant so far, was quite a bit off on timings for this stretch of the path, which was quite annoying. The terrain was getting progressively more and more difficult (the book did say that). We had to climb over boulders, often sliding down, climbing up on big stone steps, it felt relentless.
We were in a deep forest and the sun was going down fast. But it was still very warm and no rain yet, which we knew the forecast gave for tomorrow. We eventually reached Doune Bothy at a quarter to nine. A journey that should have taken an hour took us almost three! We did stop at Rob Roy’s Cave, but the difficult terrain slowed us down considerably. I felt we underestimated this leg of the trail. Four miles as the crow flies is a different story climbing up and down a steep loch shore!
We knew we were close to the bothy according to our map, but the darkness was really descending now and we could not see it (also we did not know what to expect, really). We thought of finding a spot and pitching our tents again. But then suddenly we rounded a corner and our destination was right there. A simple stone house with no lights in the windows.
Our Stay In Doune Bothy
We came to the unassuming wooden door and we could not believe it was locked! We banged on it and one of the hikers already inside let us in. I suppose with the darkness those in the bothy felt safer with the door locked. I don’t blame them. We were not the last ones seeking shelter that night, though. There was another couple who came in about 20 minutes after us, by then in total darkness. They were also let in. The bothy was a small cottage with earth floor and without any modern amenities, running water or electricity. It was a back-to-basics experience where we found no light but warmth and shelter. It was also pretty busy inside.
We found spots to lay out our sleeping bags on the earth floor. I slept close to the door, but with my back to a wooden riser, which was ok. Jane squeezed herself among a group of hikers on one of the risers – I preferred to be more on my own. I had a very bad nights’ sleep. Firstly, there was a group of noisy American hikers who kept talking into the night. I get it, they were excited, abut there were about 20 other people here who wanted to sleep! I was tossing and turning throughout the night. Very, very bad sleep.
But, on the bright side, I didn’t have to put my tent up which was great. What’s more, it was raining heavily the next day from early morning, so it was brilliant that we were under a roof and that the difficult bit of the trail was behind