Three bothies you can reach by e-bike (and why you should)

There’s a snobbery about pedal-assist that I’ve never had much patience for. The hills don’t care how you got up them, only whether you respected them when you arrived.

Three bothies within reach of a 750Wh battery, even with a load, if you ride sensibly:

Glas-allt-Shiel — on the south side of Loch Muick. A Victorian shooting lodge turned bothy, with deer that don’t bother to look up at you anymore.

Ryvoan — above Glenmore. Twenty minutes of pedalling that used to take an hour. Sit on the porch, listen for ptarmigan.

Gelder Shiel — below the south face of Lochnagar. A long pull in, but every yard worth it.

Wild camping in Scotland is a right — don’t let anyone tell you otherwise — but it’s also a privilege. Pack it in, pack it out. No fires above the heather line. Be the rider the next rider needs you to have been.