Anger after Cairngorms shelter left rubbish strewn

Volunteers said Corrour Bothy had been left in an appalling state

One of Scotland's best-known mountain bothies has been left littered with food wrappers, empty bottles and an abandoned tent.

Corrour Bothy is a hillwalkers' shelter about half way along the 19-mile (30km) Lairig Ghru mountain pass in the Cairngorms.

Mountain Bothy Association volunteers came across the mess on Saturday.

One of the volunteers, Neil Reid, believed one or more groups were responsible.

He said: "I hate to say it, but some folk really don't deserve to use bothies."

Corrour Bothy is managed by volunteers

It is not the first time the shelter, which is maintained by volunteers and free to use, has been left in a mess.

In 2018, a new toilet was damaged and rubbish left behind and there was a similar mess found by walkers at the bothy in 2015.

Following the latest incident, Mr Reid told BBC Scotland: "When we walked into the bothy it was in quite an appalling state.

"There were all sorts of food wrappers, empty bottles, a sack full of rubbish, abandoned food, a tent and items of clothing."

Food items were among the things left behind by one or more groups of people

Mr Reid and his fellow volunteers spent three hours burning some of the rubbish in the bothy's fireplace.

He appealed to people to take their waste with them to be disposed safely.

The Lairig Ghru is a popular long distance walk between from Deeside near Braemar to Speyside near Aviemore.

Corrour Bothy is used by walkers as a rest stop along the way, but has also been used as an emergency shelter in bad weather.