Shepard's Bothy

You'll find this rough stone bothy sitting alone on the moorland above Newtonmore, looking every bit like something from a Highland romance novel - though the reality is far more austere. It's a basic one-room stone shelter, the kind of place estate workers would have ducked into to escape the weather, and that's genuinely all it is. No fancy restoration, no interpretive boards, just four walls and a roof that's seen better days.

History types will appreciate the authenticity of it. There's something oddly moving about standing inside a structure that's been providing refuge for over a century. Walkers gravitate here naturally - it sits on various moorland routes around the area, so you're not detouring massively to see it. Most people spend ten minutes here, taking a look inside and snapping photos from outside. Kids won't find much to occupy them, to be honest.

The location matters more than the building itself. The views across towards the Cairngorms are proper, and on a clear day you understand why someone bothered constructing shelter up here in the first place. It's free, obviously - there's nothing to pay for. Go when it's not bucketing with rain if you want to actually enjoy the surroundings.

If you're basing yourself at Invernahavon Caravan Park nearby, this slots into a morning moorland walk easily enough. It's not a destination in itself, but it's worth the detour if you're already exploring the Highland trails around Newtonmore.