Badachro Bothy, Dry Island, Gairloch

Reviewed by the Yellowley family from Stirling

Badachro Bothy on Dry Island promised a bit of adventure and outdoor living away from it all. The island sits in Badachro bay, about 10 minutes’ drive from Gairloch, at the foot of the Torridon mountains.

Access to the island involves a rough path down from the car park and a walk across a floating bridge, which certainly added a bit of excitement to the location (we advise packing lightly)!

Essentially, the bothy offers a camping experience without the tent. There is space enough for two adults on a sofa bed and two children on bunks, with an outdoor decking area for meals, a small kitchen at the side, a gas-powered shower cabin, and a loo cabin at the top of the hill. Our boys (aged nine and 11) enjoyed exploring the island with all its nooks and crannies, and made friends over some competitive crabbing with Iona and Isla who live there.

We made great use of our time here, exploring the beautiful local beaches at Big Sands (windy!) and the stunning Red Point at the end of the road. We also took the opportunity to do a decent hillwalk into an area of small rocky hills behind Badachro, with many wee lochs and good views. It also included a visit to a memorial marking the site of a fatal air-crash from the Second World War, sitting untouched after all these years.

After a day in the open air, the Badachro Inn called and we headed there for some refreshment. We were not disappointed as it offered a good selection of local seafood and meat. Unfortunately, Sunday was a washout, so we cut our losses and headed to the warmth of the Mountain Coffee Company in Gairloch for breakfast before heading home. Prices from £50 per night in low season and £65 per night in high season