Inverlonan Bothies are architecturally designed cabins that offer rough luxury, seclusion and the chance to disconnect from the day-to-day. The cabins are only accessible by boat, foot or buggy and nestle gently amongst ancient oaks on the shores of Loch Nell. The ethos of the Bothy Experience is disconnection, slow living and getting back to basics whilst in a luxury setting, surrounded by an unspoilt, nature-filled wilderness! We are re-imaging the traditional Bothy Experience!
THE BOTHIES: The bothies Uisge (Oosh-Ka) and Beatha (Bay-Ah) take their names from the Gaelic ‘Uisge Beatha’ which means ‘Water of Life’, while Sitheil (She-Eel) naturally translates as ‘Peaceful’. Each has a private deck, open fire pit and outdoor wood-fired pizza oven. There is a private eco-toilet and outdoor shower - there is something magical about heating your water on a stove and bathing outdoors!
Each bothy connects seamlessly with the surrounding nature, making them as striking as they are sensitive to the environment they stand in. They are intimate, thoughtful, warm and uniquely Scottish. The bothies are full of top quality interiors sourced where we can, from local craftspeople. The walls are rendered in clay plaster. The kitchens, tables, shelves and ladders are hewn from ash trees found on the banks of Loch Awe and crafted by Oban’s own Michael Acey. The stoneware is from Argyll Pottery. The Skye Skynes sheep rugs come from the Isle of Skye! There are dishes from Anta. The settle sofas are from Homer in Edinburgh. From further afield we have furniture from Henry Swanzy in Cornwall and Rajasthan! We have artwork from the Welsh queen of modern marquetry Emma Wood of Woodpop. There are boardgames, a Boom speaker box to play your music, binoculars, a Weltevree torch, a curated book collection. The cookware is from Netherton Foundary. Under the bothies you will find deck chairs. Every item in the bothies has been sourced with thought, care and love. Only the best will do.
For your exclusive use there are fishing rods, a double kayak and 2 paddleboards to explore the loch. Wild swim, hike, fish and explore!
FOOD & DRINK: We’ve teamed up with the very best local producers to create food provisions that can be delivered straight to your door, so you’ll enjoy the peace and quiet without having to leave! Your nightly rate includes a delicious, locally sourced breakfast. There are BBQ meat boxes with our own Inverlonan lamb and beef, seafood boxes with scallops, langoustines and sea bass as well as pizza boxes from Solace Bakery. All for you to cook on your 3 fires! There is also a provisions list with local smoked salmon, charcuterie, honey, chocolate and much more. There is a strong drinks list with Scottish spirits and fine wines from around the world.
SETTING & HISTORY: Inverlonan sits at the mouth of the beautiful and mythical Glen Lonan through which the funeral corteges of some of the ancient Kings of Scotland are said to have passed en route to burial on the Isle of Iona. It is an area rich in Neolithic, Iron Age and Middle Age history and mythology from the Strontoiller Stone Circle built c 2000BC: The 13ft Clach Na Caraig standing stone - the tallest Standing Stone in Argyll: Its adjacent mini stone circle or ‘cairn’ in which evidence of quartz and burnt bones were excavated in the 1970s: Littered Duns (ancient hill fortification sites), hut circles, cup-marked stones and ancient burial grounds: The Rubha na Moine Crannog in Loch Nell (ancient fortified island).
ECOLOGY: An ecologically focused 100 ha broadleaf woodland was planted two years ago on the Ballygowan Hill behind the Bothies. Public access is encouraged. 190,000 broadleaf trees were planted - predominantly oak, beech and birch. There are rough footpaths throughout it, an access gate into it on the footpath by the bothies and a string of large ‘mythical’ stones running around the top including the Skull Stone. The area sits within the “GLAW-1” Golden Eagle Range. Hen harriers, white tailed sea eagles, black grouse, merlins and red-throated divers are all in the immediate area and are being encouraged to flourish within the woodland. Habitats for the rare and protected Marsh Fritillary butterfly - recorded elsewhere on Inverlonan - are being preserved in the woodland to encourage it to flourish. Scotland’s most iconic protected species, such as pine marten, red squirrel, otters and wild cats are all in the area. There is a SSSI area (Site of Special Scientific Interest) in, and bordering, Inverlonan to the north - the Black Lochs.
This is a unique experience. Embrace it!
Reviewed in the Times, Elle and Olive Magazine - amongst others. See our Instagram account for these reviews, guest reviews and much more!
Instagram: @inverlonan
Website: www.inverlonan.com
