Our wildest and most remote shepherd’s huts

Soak up spectacular seascapes and incredible wildlife on the Isle of Skye at Bothan Beileag, a cosy characterful shepherd’s hut for two with a wood burning stove. On the most northerly of the inner Hebrides you’re as far away from it all as it gets, but the resident hens and two donkeys (Gilbert and George) will keep you company. The views are wild and majestic with the Isle of Rum on one side, mountains on the other and the village of Heasta just down the road. With two huts on the site, there are shared cooking facilities in the form of the Big Shed as well as a communal fire pit and summerhouse. Tour the whiskey distilleries, hike in the hills and visit the beautiful crystal clear Fairy Pools on the River Brittle.

Escape to Worcestershire for the weekend to a secluded spot surrounded by nature and hooting owls. As you wheelbarrow your belongings down into the orchard to arrive at Joan’s Hut, peace will descend and – if you’re really quiet – you might spot deer and badgers as well as the multitude of birds in the trees. The Hut is furnished simply but creatively with owner Tim turning finds, like old school worktops, into features. There is one particularly luxurious touch – a roll top bath with mains hot water in the bathroom hut where you can soak for hours accompanied by the soundtrack of the forest. Head out on meandering country walks, take a steam train down the Wye Valley or tackle the forty minute climb that rewards you with hearty grub at a great local at the end.

When you’re greeted by a welcome basket and your own ukulele in a shepherd’s hut, you know you’re on to a winner. Once you’ve finished serenading each other by the fire bowl and are ready to explore, the Forest of Dean, Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) and beautiful river Wye are all within reach for walking, cycling and swimming. If you’d rather stay closer to your cosy hut, the owners at Hollow Ash can organise a wealth of craft activities on site including basket-making, green woodworking, stained glass and apple juicing. Your spirits will be rejuvenated after a stay in such idyllic tranquillity that feels like it’s completely in the middle of nowhere.

Buadar means ‘a dream’ in Gaelic and this shepherd’s hut really is the stuff of glamping dreams come true with sweeping views across its own Scottish glen to the river meandering below. It’s such a picturesque spot that the owners got married by the water and all that romantic energy seems to have lingered in the air. Adventurous souls will love wild, off-grid living with electricity from solar panels, water straight from the hills and the river providing your own bracing wild swimming spot. The spectacular Cairngorms are 10 miles away for hill walking, skiing and climbing and there are watersports at nearby Backwater Reservoir. The end of each invigorating day should be marked on the cobbled seating area outside the hut, sitting on the chairs fashioned from whiskey barrels and toasting the scenery with a glass of something suitably special.

As names go, this one does what it says on the tin. Hoover Hut was originally used to transport vacuums all over the railway network and is now having a glorious second act as an off-grid shepherd’s hut at Beeches Place Farm in Sussex. Perched between national parks in blissful seclusion you’re deceptively (and conveniently) near civilisation with London less than an hour and a half away by train. In the idyllic field where Hoover Hut now spends its days, urban living will feel a distant memory as you stroll along country paths, pick blackberries, visit the pond and spot timid badgers and fallow deer. If you want a change from cooking over the firepit, head down the road to The Peacock Inn for delicious homemade food made with seasonal, locally sourced ingredients.

You’re transported back to a simpler, more homely time, at Old Orchard Shepherd’s Hut in Devon. From the roses entwined around the door, to the hand-stitched curtains and trunk of books and games, it’s a place that demands a slower pace of life and you’ll be happy to oblige. At the right time of year, you can gaze down from the hut across the orchard to see a pink carpet of apple blossom below but no matter what season it is, you can sit by the firepit in the evening and watch the sun set behind Chillies Copse over the valley. There are local walks from the farm, Dartmoor and Exmoor are close by and the coast is packed with great surfing spots.

There are so many places to relax together at Elsie May that you won’t know where to begin. Will you lie back on the huge wooden recliners by the fire pit and gaze over the undulating Devon hills; cuddle up on the stylish leather sofa inside and bask in the glow of the woodburner or unwind with sundowners in the gorgeous wood fired hot tub? With decisions this tough, you might need a lie down in the hammock with a local cider to recover. Set in a private half acre of space that’s all yours to enjoy, you can also explore the other four acres of owner Lynda and David’s land including the wildflower meadow with a beehive. Beyond that, the Tarka Trail cycle path, coastal towns and the wild expanses of Exmoor and Dartmoor are close by for scenic days out.