When I think of a bothy, I picture a small mountain refuge; timber-framed; sparsely-furnished; the habitation of either a stranded traveller or an eccentric hermit.  St Mark’s Bothy on Brownsea Island was not like any of my imaginations.

It was a solid, stone-constructed building, consisting of five rooms – kitchen, lounge, two bedrooms and a bathroom – arranged in a vaguely circular aspect and, far from being located on a mountainside, it had its own private access to a beach.

This was bothy-chic.

The National Trust, who own both the bothy and the rest of Brownsea, describe the accommodation as simple and the facilities basic.  They haven’t seen my house.  For me, this was luxury living.

The bathroom was modern and commodious, with a shower and plenty of hot water; the kitchen was well-equipped and had an induction hob, on which it was possible to cook a decent meal.  Admittedly, the only heating was a wood-burner, but my visit coincided with a May heatwave, so I had no need of any artificial heating; and neither bedding nor towels are provided, but I had brought along my own sleeping bag – damn, forgot a pillowcase – and my own towel.  No great hardship there.

There was something rather Hansel and Gretel-ish about the location of the bothy.  It was in the midst of thick woodland.  I spotted a red squirrel on the approach to it, a rabbit within its garden, and there was the sound of constant bird-song from the surrounding shrubbery.

It was a pleasure to sit outside, having an alfresco breakfast, looking towards Furzey Island, and watching the progress of yachts across the calm waters into Poole Harbour.

Spooky to be left on my – virtual – lonesome on the island once all the day-trippers had left?  Not until the evening when there was a sudden, unexpected loud banging on my front door.

It proved to be the night warden for the island checking if I was okay.

I had been up to then!

© E. C. Glendenny

E. C. Glendenny enjoys an island retreat.

Check out E. C. Glendenny’s latest collection of travel writing Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy.