Howff n. [scots] a shelter.

A Howff is a Doss commonly used in the scottish mountains. They are not as nice as a Bothy, often being little more than caves, but offer shelter where none would normally be found. They are often used by climbers or mountaineers as an alternative to taking a tent, or to prevent a forced 'bivi' (bivouac).

The most famous is probably the Shelter Stone next to Loch Avon in the central Cairngorms, which is under a huge boulder. It has space for about 6, and offers excellent protection against the elements. It was known of as early as the 16th century though may have been in use before that.

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