Crotha bothy solitary retreat hut

Bookings run Wednesday to Tuesday, from 3 weeks up to several months, see bookings policy below for more information.

location

The Bothy is situated at an altitude of 1,300 feet in Crotha Glen, behind Dhanakosa.  There are no roads or houses visible from the bothy and access is by foot or quad bike only. 

It was built by Ajitasena in 1999, especially to support longer solitary retreats. Its isolated location makes it an excellent retreat venue, but conditions can be extreme so people using it must be physically and emotionally fit enough to cope.

facilities

Heating is by solid fuel stove. You need to be able to lift bags of coal, weighing 25kg, into the Bothy, from a storage area underneath the hut. Kindling is supplied. The toilet is a compost toilet. All food is included and there will be weekly supplies dropped at point down from the bothy (so you need to be able to carry the supplies 300m uphill). Cooking is by gas, with a small oven and two rings.

The water supply is not approved by public health so drinking water should be boiled, and if it gets really cold, the water may freeze and you will have to melt snow.

There is limited electricity supplied by a 12V leisure battery charged from a solar panel. There’s an inverter with a plug socket and a USB charger.

to consider before you book

The Bothy is a solitary retreat venue, and is only available to those who have previous experience of solitary retreats, and can be confident of completing their retreat.  We will ask you to complete an application form and give a reference. 

All retreatants must be willing to accept the inherent risks of being out of contact. O2 and Vodafone mobile reception are intermittent and cannot be relied upon.

what to bring

Walking boots, waterproofs, and warm clothing, a towel, as well as all writing / reading materials you might need.

Between 1st December and 1st April snow can limit access to the Bothy.  Between these dates it is advisable to only bring what you can carry as we cannot guarantee gaining vehicular access, even by quad bike.  At other times of the year we will normally be able to take your things up and down on the quad bike.

You do not need to bring meditation mats/cushions etc, yoga equipment, bed linen or food (though you might want to bring your own treats). 

Food is supplied from our standard supplies.  If you have special requirements please contact the office in advance of arrival.

arrival/leaving times

Due to the time it takes to get to the Bothy you will need to arrive at Dhanakosa by 2pm at the latest on the day your retreat starts. If you are travelling a long way this may mean arrival the day before and an overnight stay locally.

On the day of your departure you will need to either walk down the mountain with your bags or pre-arrange with the team to get help with your bags. You will need to be back at Dhanakosa by 10.45am at the latest in order to get a taxi to Kingshouse for the 11.07 bus to Callander (if you are leaving by public transport).

bookings policy

Bookings can be made for periods of 3 weeks (minimum) up to several months at a time. Bookings of 3 weeks to one month can be made a year in advance. Bookings of more than one month can be made a year or more in advance.

paying for your retreat

Unlike our other facilities, the Bothy does not run on a donations basis.

For 2024: 1 month £685 (incl. deposit £100), 3 weeks £550 (incl. deposit £100)

For 2025: 1 month £700 (incl. deposit £100), 3 weeks £560 (incl. deposit £100)

how to book

Contact the office to enquire about availability and book, call 01877 384 213, or e-mail: info@dhanakosa.com

If you have not stayed in the Bothy before we will ask you complete an application form and return it to us as part of the booking process.