Craig Bothy

Bothy

Craig

Distance/Ascent

5.6km    164km

Estimated time

2h 30min

8 July 2026

I had left home late as I had a dentist appointment and it had taken longer than expected to climb An Ruadh-mheallan. 

On the way to Lower Diabaig, I saw this seaplane. Three people arrived and prepared for take-off. It would have made a great photograph, but I was told that it would be at least 30 minutes before they had refuelled and ready for take-off. I did not want to arrive at Craig too late. I was already behind schedule. I had a ginger beer at the restaurant in Diabeag before heading back up the road, passing a toad on the way. It was certainly a beautiful evening for this walk with patchy sunshine and passing light showers.

I had though about visiting this place way back in the nineties, when it was a SYHA hostel. It used to be a hostel, but was closed in 2003 and has been maintained by the Mountain Bothies Association since 2006. It is a 5 km/3 mile walk along a good path. I had just done ​An Ruadh-mheallan. I had rehydrated at the restaurant in Diabaig, but I was still feeling a little bit weary when I arrived at the bothy at around 10pm. I carried in a fire log, wood and coal, even though it was during warm weather. At the time of writing, there is a work party planned that includes the installation of Velux windows. In its current condition, it is hard to imagine it as a youth hostel.

The weather was reasonably warm, but I still used the firedog, sawn-up slats from Peter's old bed that he had grown out of and the last of the coal from the coal scuttle. I became a little cold during the night as I had not closed the front door properly, so the heat escaped. 

I saw three of these beetles on the path back to Diabaig. They were green tiger beetles, which are predators that hunt spiders and insects.

I needed to arrive home reasonably early as I needed to arrive home reasonably early as I needed to sort out my kit before packing for a week in the Lake District with my family.