Bring your Electric Vehicle (EV) on a Scottish Adventure to the Cairngorms National Park

In line with our Green Ethos, we would love to encourage you to travel in your electric or hybrid vehicle when you come to stay at the Courtyard Bothy!

Look after our planet while you enjoy a well-earned break: using our 7kw, overnight destination charger makes it so easy.

As EV drivers ourselves, we know how much additional planning goes into driving long distances and then exploring once you get to your base. There’s the dreaded ‘range anxiety’ and ‘will the charger work when we get there’. Then we often have no idea how much we are being charged for our top up at public chargers. Finding accommodation with an EV charger is a real bonus, but then there’s the anxiety that you’ll arrive and someone else will be plugged in and you won’t be able to use it.

 It’s not the best start to a holiday if you’re stressing about all these things before you even leave home.

Your EV at the Courtyard Bothy

The Courtyard Bothy’s EV charger is dedicated to you so you’re guaranteed to be able to use it. The charger is purely for your benefit and we don’t make any profit from it – charges cover our own electricity and third party admin costs and no more. Payment can be made by Apple Pay, Google Pay or card payment via the Monta app.

 Our 7kw destination charger takes between 4-8 hours to fully charge your car. Having a base where you know you can charge to get the fuel needed for a full day of exploration releases all the stress and means you can focus on your holiday rather than the car. So plug in, enjoy one of the local restaurants for dinner, then settle in for the night. When you wake up the next morning, your EV will be ready to take you wherever you wish to venture! For some ideas, check out our Local Area page.

‍EVs in Scotland

Some EV owners are happy to simply trust the car to find the chargers and sort the journey out for them as they go. But if you’re like us then you’ll want to do some research before your trip, to find out where the charging places are on your journey to and from the Courtyard Bothy.

The largest provider across Scotland is ChargePlace Scotland and you can find out how to register with them before you set off here.

There are also lots of new chargers popping up which do not require apps. One of our favourite stops is Nae Limits on the A9, just under 2 hours south from the Courtyard Bothy. They serve great food and coffee, and have fast chargers that you can simply pay for with your card. No app required!

The most comprehensive list of chargers is ZapMap and the easiest option is to download their app before you leave home.

According to ZapMap data, as at 30^th September 2023, the number of EV chargers available across Scotland has increased rapidly. It’s now the third geographical area in the UK with the highest number of chargers, behind Greater London and the South East. With 8.5% of the total UK chargers being in Scotland, it means there are over 4,200 to choose from with even more being installed regularly!

‍Hire an EV

There are plenty of financial and environmental benefits to driving an electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle, which you’ll be familiar with if you already own one. If you don’t, why not hire one for your trip to the Courtyard Bothy? Many car hire companies including Enterprise, Europcar and Hertz offer a range of electric vehicles: why not use this chance to try one out? With a dedicated charger, it’s an ideal opportunity.

While the initial outlay for an electric car is currently higher than for petrol or diesel cars, the running costs are generally lower - this article gives a good breakdown and points to ponder as the push towards EVs increases.

And for our guests with hybrid, diesel or petrol engines, you’ll be pleased to know there is an Esso garage on Spey Avenue, just two minutes’ drive away from the Courtyard Bothy.

Do get in touch if you have any queries about travelling with an electric vehicle.