No, not quite. The bothy is round the back
Glas Allt Shiel NO 276 824
Possibly one of the strangest bothies going, if only for being a part of the Queen’s hoose.
Glas Allt Shiel is an open bothy which is one of the out-houses of the Queen’s holiday home, or picnic lodge towards the west end of Loch Muick. A picturesque situation with a lovely lawn for picnics on a sunny summer’s afternoon!
However it came to be the done thing to doss in the Queen’s coal cellar, the big hoose itself is seldom used, so people staying in the bothy have little need to worry about noisy neighbours!
Access
The entrance to Glas Allt Sheil: the fifth door along, it’s just out of sight in the darkness of the passage
When you approach the house up the easily cycleable track from the Loch Muick car park along the north shore of the loch, head towards the back of the house and go into the passageway which leads into a tiny courtyard. The door to the bothy is the furthest in of a row of doors, all the others being locked. The correct door bears a plaque.
Accommodation
The new stove and wood-lined and insulated back wall
Inside, Glas Allt Shiel is a bit on the dark side, although it was improved in 2016 following a work party from the Bob Scott’s crew. Previously there was only one window to the outside, away in one corner. But now polycarbonate panels have been put in the ceiling, allowing light to come through from the well lit sleeping accommodation in the attic. It’s still a little on the dim side, but much improved. Some may be a little unnerved at the prospect of stepping on the panels, but they’re easily strong enough to take anyone’s weight and can be walked over with impunity.
The polycarbonate sheets in the floor of the upstairs area. The sheets are easily strong enough to walk on. (Photo by Neil Findlay)
The bothy is quite spacious by Cairngorm standards, with a large table and a good few chairs. The floor is wooden and although it used to be hard to heat the donation in 2017 of a stove from Bob Scott’s Bothy Association and a project to wood-line and insulate roof and walls, funded and carried out by the MBA have meant a marked improvement.
It also has a well-lit sleeping area in the roof space, up a steep flight of steps. This is now also insulated.
There are two bunks downstairs, with more sleeping accommodation upstairs.
The upstairs sleeping accommodation.
Stove
The bothy used to be a legendarily cold doss, but since the donation and installation of a stove by the Friends of Bob Scott’s – since replaced by a newer model, it has become easier to heat. It’s best to take in some coal for fuel, as the estate ask that neither live nor dead wood be collected from the area.
Water
There’s a stream just outside the bothy which is safe to use. A branch is channeled with granite blocks and has a few steps leading down to the water. Such are the luxuries of a royal connection.
Toilet
There is another building, behind and separate from the main house. On the uphill side of this there is a small toilet (the door is labelled) which is kept open. This is the usual hole in the ground and flushed by a bucket of water from the burn affair.
Phone signal
There is no mobile phone signal at the bothy or in the immediate area.
Maintenance
The bothy is normally looked after by Dundee University Rucksack Club, although the recent major renovations were funded by the MBA and carried out by MBA and BSBA volunteers.
This page was revised in November 2017.
cairngormwanderer 
Any idea if the main house is used? If so,, who by and for what?
It’s used by HM Queen Elizabeth II and her family. For occasional picnics, I believe.
Neil. Any ideal what the bothy building actually was before it changed to the bothy? all the dooks in the walls leave me to think that something used to hang in it (like meant maybe) the former slit windows in the non window wall by the stair were open at one time presumably to let in air
Hi Dave, don’t know what it was used for but I would imagine it was for some form of storage for the ‘big hoose’. When you mentioned ventilation I wondered about a deer larder, but that would be kept well away from the queen’s delicate neb, so I suspect something rather less prone to smelling.
The main house is also known locally as The Widow’s House as it was where Queen Victoria retreated for the solitude after the death of Prince Albert.
Any estimate of how many it may sleep?
Probably as many as you’ll need. From recollection, probably eight or more upstairs and a few more than that downstairs. Haven’t been there for a wee while, so my memory of scale is shaky.
great post thanks cairngormwanderer
I was up there last year and saw HRH out walking her dogs down by the loch. She just looked like someones auld grannie.
Well she is. 🙂
Hello Cairngormwanderer: We are Americans interested in leasing Garbh Allt Shiel. .Is the walk to Glas Allt Shiel Bridge and falls doable for non hikers ? Also, what are your recommendations for one staying at the cottage ? Thank you, Suzanne
Hi Suzanne, the Glas Allt Sheil is a bothy which is open to everyone, so, while you’re welcome to use it for a short stay of up to a few days, you can’t actually lease it or hire it for your exclusive use. You can read more about the ‘rules’ and etiquette of staying at bothies on the main bothies page here – https://cairngormwanderer.wordpress.com/the-bothies/
As for getting there, the bothy is about 5km from the Spital of Glen Muick Car Park along an easy track, and there is a well made path up the back of the bothy to the falls, so you shouldn’t find any great difficulty.
Just a word of caution though: you have to remember that the bothy, which is open to the public, is a wee outhouse round the back of the main house – not the grand building you see from the lochshore, which belongs to the Queen and is very definitely not for hire. 🙂
Really useful update, cheers.
Hi, i was wondering if this bothy is ever shut? During winter for instance. A friend of mine said that it was closed when he last visited (in March). If so when are the bothies normally open again for anyone to use?
Thanks for your help, i did try and search for an answer but i couldn’t see anything. Sorry if this has already been covered.
Hi Josh
Not aware of it being shut. It should be open all year round.
It may well be that the bothy was briefly closed while some improvements were made: new roof insulation and internal lining, plus some roof repairs I think. It is certainly open again now.
Please, please, please take all your refuse/unwanted stuff away with you. There has been lots of junk and rubbish left behind recently.
No, I was there while those improvements were being made – https://cairngormwanderer.wordpress.com/2017/05/18/hotting-it-up-at-glas-allt-sheil/ – and it stayed open all that weekend (albeit pretty busy).
But I’ll certainly back your comments about rubbish – it’s a real problem there.
Lol. I see that now from your other blogs. Some awesome work done. 👍
It’s actually a bit spooky! It is pretty dingy, but if you had a nice fire in the stove and cosy stuff, it might be fine – good that people are improving it! The big house seems sad, like it needs some loving care, there is mould on the wall inside uptairs. The location is stunning.
Aye, any bothy can feel spooky if you’re on your own, but it’s a lot lighter than it used to be. And more work planned for later in the year should improve the downstairs too. The big house? Well, if Mrs Windsor speaks nicely to the MBA, I’m sure we could do something with it. 😉
I have been there 7 times in the past as I stay only 50 odd miles from the loch, the main house has only been in use once by the royal family while I was there camping.
Me and a group of friends were walking in the dark and pouring rain along the 3.5 mile walk to the bothy from the car park, then all of a sudden 3 black land rovers drive past us and one stopped and some guy got out and told us that royalty were using the main house and to avoid that area.
I believe it was Prince Edward as it was his birthday, they were there to get p*ssed and set off fireworks I reckon (even though it was raining).
Lol! Except I’m sure you weren’t laughing. Didn’t they do the decent thing and offer you a lift or at least an invitation to join the jollification? It would be lovely if it was cared for and caring to the minions 🙂 Well done to MBA for their passionate efforts x
Hi do you know if this bothy is open all year? Looking to do a winter hike and stay over. Thanks
Hi Rachel, yes, the bothy is open all year round. As ever, at peak times you may find it safer to take a tent, but there’s a fair bit of room inside, so there should be room most times.
Thank you!
Hi, can I park at the bothy.? Planning to do the White Mounth Munros, so coming from Glasgow the night before.
The public road end is at the Loch Muick Car Park, which is about 5 km from the bothy, but it’s a good track, either for walking or taking a bike. Takes about an hour on foot.
Hello
Do you know if I am able to drive my car down to the bothy instead of parking in car park? As I have seen cars there before but I am unsure.
There’s a locked gate at the car park, so you need to walk or cycle in to the bothy. Occasionally estate vehicles may be there or others with the estate’s permission, when there is work being done on the bothy.
We had a walk recently around lake muick. Came apon Glas Allt Shiel and saw it was all boarded up except on window. I went up to the window and to my surprise there were people in there sat around a lit candle. I waved and they waved back. I was under the impression that it was always empty. Can anyone shed any light on this?
Regards Clare
Hi Clare, depends which window it was. Sounds like you were round the west side and looking in through the bothy window. If it was one of the front windows in the main part of the building though, it was probably the ghosts of Queen Victoria and John Brown.
Hello, I would like to ask if this hut is also open recently. Is it not closed due to winter? We are expected to leave for glas-allt-shiel bothy this week. I hope to get your reply, thank you!
Glas Allt Sheil is open all winter, so there shouldn’t be any problem.
Got it, thank you so much for your quick reply!
Hi have you been to the bothy lately is the place still open and in good order thinking of paying a visit around christmas period
Hi Rob, some of the guys were there just a few weeks ago and all was well. MOs visit pretty regularly too, so you should be okay for Christmas period.
Thank you for quick reply tbh I found the house by accident I’m up there in November with the wife and looking for a overnight spot near balmoral so we can so we can lookat the cairns as the castle appears to be closed then.
It was then I found the lock and car park then the house / bothy what a beautiful place it is just hope weather good in December as I can imagine its not the best to get to with snow down.
Hi Rob, if you want to explore the Balmoral area then you might be better trying the Gelder Sheil Bothy, which is on the Balmoral side of Lochnagar. In fact you access it easiest from Balmoral. https://cairngormwanderer.wordpress.com/the-bothies/gelder-shiel/
Thanx mate when I’m up in November we just stopping in campervan a relaxed week away.
But December is when we planning to do bothy how is the path on North side of Loch thinking of fetching some fuel for stove as I imagine be very cold December.
Me and a couple of guys always do a christmas bothy camp but this place looks very special and steeped in history.
We traveling over 4 hours so will have to see how bad a winter we have I suppose I may see you there we can have a wee dram for Christmas.
The path is a good estate track all the way to the bothy. If there are a few of you then best fuel is probably a bag of coal shared between you. 10kg should be more than enough for a reasonable fire for the night.