Bothies & Bannocks

27/02/2025

Just the perfect way to end a busy month!

We have just had the best week with Rita & Jeff visiting from Colorado.

After a long winter, this is exactly what we needed, a few days with fun guests exploring our incredible homeland.

Beautiful weather, no crowds, the best food, and incredible scenery 👌

Some big miles and plenty of cleaning for the Bothy Bus but worth every minute of it ❤️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🥃

Highlight of the week - the "old folks" sign 🤭 🤣

13/01/2025

Who's looking for the ultimate Scottish MTB adventure?! 🚵‍♂️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🥃

Join us as we provide support for the legendry Endless Trails MTB Scotland trips this year.

Still spaces left on all 3 -

21/4/25 - 26/4/25 (a few places remaining)

5/5/25 - 10/5/25 (7 places available/also open to private group booking)

26/5/25 - 31/5/25 (a few places remaining) - open to E-Bikers!

Top class guide, high quality accommodation and obviously the best support crew 😉

Full details and booking instructions below -
https://www.endlesstrailsmtb.com/scotland

31/12/2024

Happy New Year to all our customers, followers & colleagues, have a good one when it comes 🥳

We are starting with a couple of pre made pours before getting stuck into the good drams 🥃

Big love from 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 ❤️

20/12/2024

I’m back in my happy place for December, helping out the boys at The Strong Water Co. !

For my festive tipple this year I’ve picked this 15yr single cask Fettercairn from independent bottler Finn Thomson.

Come in and see us and get some expert advice on what to pick for your festive drinks! 🥂🍾🥃

21/11/2024

An early run over the hill to Stonehaven for the Bothy Bus to get its 6 monthly MOT check.

All licensed and ready for the season.

Winter tyres fitted, snow chains checked and loaded, emergency winter kit all checked and replenished.

We have some availability for local and long-distance taxis over the next month or so.

Get in touch if you want a reliable, confident, well skilled driver in a well prepped and safe vehicle for your winter journeys.

Can't always guarantee the outside will be spotless on these roads though 🙄

💪

19/11/2024

A brilliant day at North East Tourism conference today.

Great to hear from such interesting speakers and learn about what's happening in the industry.

Even got to hear from these 3 legends talking about the future of Adventure Sports Tourism in the area.

After such a crazy busy year for us, it was also good to catch up with old friends and colleagues and meet exciting new business owners.

The buzz is still here in Aberdeenshire and I am very much looking forward to sharing it with our customers next year.

20/09/2024

Calling all outdoor adventurers, guides and operators.

Come and see us at over the weekend to discuss how we can assist you or your clients with some epic adventures.

We offer transport and support solutions so you can focus on the fun part.

Or just grab the family and come to Ballater for Aberdeenshire's biggest and best family-friendly bike festival!

05/09/2024

What a day exploring upper Deeside with this lovely couple from California 🇺🇸

28/07/2024

Well, it's been a tough week here at HQ, I seem to have come down with some kind of flu!

Was flat out until Tuesday night, then been bedded since 🤒

It's been hectic rescheduling things to make sure our clients didn't miss out. But thanks to good friends and colleagues, services were unaffected!

Big thanks to -

The B&B team, especially Hayley & Isabelle👌
Stuart @ Chef for Hire Aberdeenshire
Mike @ Macdui Bike Adventures
Paul @ Taxi Muir Private Hire Ballater
Stevie @ Dees Taxi Service
Elizabeth @
Desiree
Jim @

And of course, my super wife and poppy the dug for looking after me and putting up with my whinging 😂

I have heard of tour operators letting clients down under these circumstances.

Bothies & Bannocks will always do everything in our power to deliver 👌💪🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

10/07/2024

June and July have been crazy busy again!

Welcoming guests from all over the world.

Some big multi-day trips, local runs, adventure shuttles and assisting local groups with adventures and outings

Our first aid is all up to date and we're ready to take on the rest of the summer season.

Had a bit of a disaster with Trip Advisor - they seem to have lost our page - but I'm working on getting that back up and running 🙄😫

Oh and the weather's nae been the best 🌧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Apart from them 2 wee issues we are smashing it ! 💪

Get in touch to plan your Scottish Adventure for later In the year ! 😀

15/06/2024

So today I had a wee nostalgic trip to my old stomping ground.

After dropping off some fine local loons at Glasgow Airport I took a drive by some of my old east end flats.

As a teenager growing up in the Aberdeenshire countryside I took the leap to try out city life.

Not only did I head down with a couple of my best mates but there was already a wee squad of Deeside loons down there.

That, combined with the sense of community that the east end of Glasgow offers, led to a good few years of pure dead happiness!

It was great to see that not only is Celino's still going, its thriving!

When I walked in with a big smile on my face the lass on the till welcomed me like a local. When I explained I lived round the corner 15 years ago and I wanted a sandwich, she pointed above to the menu.

The choice was simple a Celino Special - exactly as it was all those years ago, and even the "sun blushed or sun dried tomatoes" & "would you like it toasted" took me right back.

I then sat in the Bothy Bus right opposite my old door at 83, Meadow Park Street and ate my peice and reflecting on good times!

This led to a slightly emotional drive home 😑

It's true what they say - "The People Make Glasgow" ❤️

05/06/2024

What a month May was, Party - Graft, Graft, Graft -Party !!!

We started with our annual trip to with friends, then back to back guiding, driving and hosting for the rest of the month.

Myself and the team have been all over the country exploring some incredible locations with awesome people.

We then saw the month out with another social trip, this time to Amsterdam for my brothers 40th celebrations with some old friends.

Overworked and over partied, but we are looking forward to another busy month.

Thanks to all local businesses that send guests our way and help promote our business, you know who you are 👌❤️

Also, thanks to all our incredible guests for making our job so much fun!

And of course, our incredible team of helpers -
Natalie, Mike, Matt, Anna, Hayley, Kayleigh, Isabelle, and Jim ❤️❤️❤️

28/05/2024

Isabelle, Jim and Marloe, the dug, producing the goods on last week's Great Glen paddle expedition!

A tough week with winds changing directions but clients and team adapted to suit, well done to all!

Check out our paddle sports page @ for details of upcoming adventures 👌🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿❤️

26/05/2024

Huge excitement at demo weekend as I am finally away with a new steed !

It's only taken 2 years of tyre kicking and test riding 😂 (and loads of chatting 😅)

A cracking deal from our pals at - who, as always, continue to support our business 👏

Looking forward to joining our clients on the next MTB adventure 👍

But even more so, looking forward to getting back up the hills with pals ❤️

04/05/2024

Looking forward to being involved in Cyclehighlands, demo weekend.

Ballater 25th & 26th of May.

Shuttles will be available for demo bikes and we have some trail builders to move around for the Aberdeenshire Trail Association

Check it out and get signed up to try out some of the best bikes on the market !

Our annual Spring Demo weekend supported by returns 25th and 26th May…can’t wait to have all our brands back up with great bikes , a BBQ and much more . Email or phone to book a demo bike or find out more !