An off-grid holiday park offering self-catered eco-lodges lodges has bounced back from storm damage last year with a £750,000 investment into six new units triggering three new jobs.
Cairngorm Bothies launched its first six woodland bothies in 2020 but expansion plans were delayed following devastation of Storm Malik.
The new bothies, named after Scottish trees, will be ready for occupancy next month with forward bookings already being taken.
Founded by entrepreneur Gordon Drummond, Cairngorm Bothies near Dinnet is a sister business to Cairngorm Lodges, a collection of five timber lodges established in 2013.
These feature organic fair-trade bed linen and towels, low energy lightbulbs, green household products and heating achieved through radiators powered by wood burning stoves.
Mr Drummond then adapted the concept with the launch of the first six bothies, situated in even deeper seclusion in the woods and with solar panels generating power.
The stored energy drives a water pump to purify water, while wood burning stoves, supplied with logs from the Craigmyle estate provide warmth and hot water as well as powering a cooking range with oven.
Properties are dog-friendly
The bothies were deliberately situated far from tie-in points to infrastructure for phone, water and electricity.
Mr Drummond said: “At launch in 2020 our Cairngorm Bothies were a novel proposition for the market, giving the customer a flavour of the considerations of sustainable living, integrated into nature in the spectacular setting of an ancient woodland.
“All properties are dog friendly too, as bringing along your four-legged friend is really important to our customer base.”
But the storm in January 2022 put paid to Mr Drummond’s plans to launch the next six bothies ready for occupation in April the same year.
Whole business was threatened”
Gordon Drummond
“We were left with thousands of pounds worth of damage following this storm,” he said, adding: “The whole business was threatened and we had to re-group.
“It was a major setback to our plans at what was already a difficult time, having survived various lockdowns and uncertainty over the Covid pandemic.
“But we have fought on during the last six months or so and are now in a position to launch these next six bothies which are marketed at couples looking for a relaxing break.
“Bookings remained vibrant for our existing lodges and bothies. This meant income was still coming in so we could carry out our repairs and bring the next stage of the bothies to fruition.”
Although Mr Drummond admits he is still “licking his wounds financially,” he still plans to launch another six bothies at a later date to provide 18 in total.
Despite the challenges, the businesses have received awards in the form of a Scottish Enterprise Unlocking Ambition entrepreneurial award, a Green Gold Tourism Award and Scottish Thistle Regional Tourism Award for Working Together.