The Boathouse

A bothy that runs on wood and weather

The Boathouse sits on the shore of its own hill loch on the Guisachan estate above Tomich, and what shapes a stay here is that it is genuinely off grid rather than off grid as a description of the view. A wind turbine and solar panels supply a limited amount of electricity to the fridge, the lighting, the shower, and the sockets. The owners say plainly that this will not run a hairdryer, so do not pack one.

Everything else comes from one wood burning stove, which does the heating, the hot water, and the cooking. Firewood is supplied, as is the firewood for the wood fired hot tub at the water's edge, which is lit rather than switched on. The toilet is a modern composting one with instructions rather than a flush.

What comes with it is the loch. Private fishing rights, a rowing boat on its own pontoon, and rods and flies all come with the let, so an afternoon can be spent entirely between the boat, the stove, and the tub. The 2025 rate is £1,000 for one to three nights, rising to £1,800 for seven, and the same family also let Courtyard Cottages, Woodland Lodges, and the Victorian Dairy down at Tomich, which are on mains power, have wi-fi, and take dogs. None of those appear on this site, so ask directly if the off grid part is a step too far.

Good to know

Features

Location

Where it puts you

Tomich is a conservation village at the mouth of Glen Affric, and the Guisachan estate climbs behind it to the loch. Plodda Falls is the walk everyone does from the village, a drop through Douglas firs to a platform above the lip of the fall.

West of Cannich the road runs into Glen Affric itself, native pinewood rather than plantation, which is why most people come this far off the main road. East, the ground drops to Loch Ness and the A82, where the coaches are and where this stay deliberately is not. Inverness is the nearest city and the place to shop before you head up, because there is no signal at the Boathouse to look anything up with.