Cairngorm Bothies

It’s so quiet and peaceful here, a real rest for your mind and soul. Beautiful, serene, and worth every penny. You’re paying for peace.

We stayed in Red Squirrel Lodge at Caringorm Lodges and loved it. The cabin was spacious, clean and had everything we needed, and red squirrels and lovely birds surrounded us all week. I’m already desperate to come back. Thank you so much!

Pine Marten lodge had everything we needed and was warm and comfortable, with clean rooms and comfy beds. We got a friendly welcome too. The location is stunning and a great base for exploring the Cairngorms. What an amazing place.

We loved the seclusion at Red Squirrel Lodge, the farthest lodge from the others. Each morning we sat in the sun listening to birdsong, and watched a red squirrel eat from the feeders just a metre from the dining room window. The lodge was comfortable, very clean, and had what we needed to make a nice meal. The stove was already stocked when we arrived. It heats the water and radiators, though there’s also an electric shower. We lit it in the middle of the afternoon and damped it down around 11pm. The place must be well insulated, because we were warm in the mornings with just an extra jumper over our pyjamas. Coming from an old, cold house, we were toasty all weekend, and I wished I’d packed T-shirts. We went for lovely walks along the burn to nearby Blelack house, which is connected with the Jacobean Rebellion and has history worth reading about. There are also longer walks up Morven, or you can drive a short way to Cambus O'May or Tarland, as we did. We visited in early March and had glorious sunshine, with temperatures from 8-14c. The lodges seem to be run by different individuals under the Cairngorm Lodges company name. They look the same, but the management, cleanliness and utensils may vary between them. It’s a self check-in arrangement, like Airbnb. We spoke with the owner, Kathleen, before arriving, and everything was in order after that. I felt sure I could call her if we needed anything. I’d highly recommend it for couples or small families. I can imagine the cabin being a lovely escape at any time of year, whatever the weather.