Scottish Bothy Bible by Geoff Allan

[whitestone]

Does anyone have any usage and, shall we say, damage stats both historical and since "The book of the Bothy" appeared (plus other "official" promotional stuff like the TV pieces)? Even if the proportion remains the same, more people will mean more inconsiderate people so you'd expect more bad behaviour and damage.

Is damage limited to well known bothies or is it more general?

As for the wheels falling off the adventure wagon Stu, when I first started fell walking back in the early 1970s there were just four outdoor shops in Ambleside - I could name them all, I couldn't even begin to list them now.

[Richpips]

Does anyone have any usage and, shall we say, damage stats both historical and since "The book of the Bothy" appeared (plus other "official" promotional stuff like the TV pieces)? Even if the proportion remains the same, more people will mean more inconsiderate people so you'd expect more bad behaviour and damage.

I've no stats, but I recall that some bothies were shutting long before there was a website, or books and videos on bothies, like the Sinclair Hut.

One bothy that I've known personally for ~30 years was busy back then, like now you'd be unwise to turn up there without a tent or bivy at a popular time of year.

[thenorthwind]

They shouldn't be restricted to some special elite club of people that deserve them

They, like anything else, should be restricted to the group of people that deserve them. The only criteria for inclusion in this group should (I would argue) be common sense and a moral compass, so I wouldn't call it an elite club, but the point, as Stu well made, is that some people don't deserve them.

Driving a car shouldn't be restricted to some special elite club of people that deserve them by having learnt how to safely control one

Sounds a bit stupid doesn't it.

Even if the proportion remains the same, more people will mean more inconsiderate people so you'd expect more bad behaviour and damage.

Though you would hope that the number of people with an actively positive contribution to make (e.g. attending work days) would increase proportionately.

[fatbikephil]

I've got a copy of a report written by a bloke who surveyed every bothy / potential bothy in Scotland back in 1979

Is that the Butterflied Survey of Shelters? Would love to see this - Cant buy it for love nor money
Been trying to track down a copy for years

Thats the one - I have a rather faded photocopy. To be honest whilst its quite interesting it wasn't the trove of hidden bothies that I thought it might be. My Dad aquired the copy form a friend who had one of the few originals. There is nothing in it that isn't on the MBA site apart from the aforementioned ruins, huts used by the estate and locked and a few rough shelters which from my own research are all long gone.

[boxelder]

As someone who has never helped to maintain any bothies (beyond litter clearing when I can), I'm not sure I have much right to have a say on who should or shouldn't be able to visit.
As an aside, we spent a day at Ben Alder cottage in May and the other three folk there (Polish guys from East Anglia) spent hours tidying up, fixing stuff and collecting litter - bloody Poles, coming over here, taking our jobs..........

[Gari]

^^^^^
We have on here where I work, they never stop I tell you!!

[whitestone]

Here's a view from Neil Reid (cairngormwander blog):

"The festival will also be used for the launch of a new book which is bound to ruffle feathers amongst some of the bothies old guard – Geoff Allan’s ‘The Bothy Bible’. Anathema to those retrogrades who still believe bothies should be kept secret, the author’s saving grace is that he is an active member of the Mountain Bothies Association and MO for Dibidil Bothy on Rum. Oh, and Geoff will be giving 10 per cent of the book’s proceeds to the MBA. But what the hell – it sounds like an interesting book anyway, packed with information including historical details, and walk-in descriptions as well as suggestions for day trips, cycle rides and places of interest en route."

The post is actually about http://www.braemarmountainfestival.com on the 3rd - 5th March

[ianfitz]

A copy of this dropped through my letterbox this morning.

It's a nicely put together book that's been well researched. Some good photos and history of the bothies is interesting and new to me.

More importantly there's nothing in there that's not MBA (or at least very, very well known) and despite me not being particularly knowledgable about Scottish bothies there's several that I know of that aren't in there. Including the small one by the sea, either of the estates one in those Glens and that one in the woods there.

The mentions of the 'other' cairngorm shelters and howffs is very discrete with no locations revealed that's aren't in the public domain (or on OS maps!)

I can see myself spending time by the fire in winter with it having a wee day dream about summer trips.

[Yorlin]

Hmm hmmmmm

Bothies, Huts & Howffs in the Hills: Perthshire & Angus: Volume 1
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1536867233/ ... BTGWTAW4WD

"This guide takes some of the guesswork out of the equation, listing unlocked habitable shelters, ranging from comfortable, well-equipped bothies suitable for overnight stays to simple wooden huts and howffs offering protection from the elements, a place to break for lunch or a bolthole in an emergency. Covering Perthshire and Angus, the fully illustrated guide details the location of each bothy, hut or howff by grid reference, offers advice on how to reach it and outlines what to expect upon arrival."

[NewRetroTom]

I just received a copy of this book as a birthday present.

It's a nice looking book with some lovely pictures. I'm already inspired to go on a few adventures to bothies I didn't know much about before.

Glad to see that it doesn't give away the locations of any secret bothies.

Only negative comment - it's not been very well proofread - I've spotted quite a few mistakes, but I am a bit of a pedant.

[ianfitz]

I just received a copy of this book as a birthday present.

It's a nice looking book with some lovely pictures. I'm already inspired to go on a few adventures to bothies I didn't know much about before.

Glad to see that it doesn't give away the locations of any secret bothies.

Only negative comment - it's not been very well proofread - I've spotted quite a few mistakes, but I am a bit of a pedant.

Some of the grid references are in the sea. But I'm used to that from Stuarts work

[Bearbonesnorm]

Some of the grid references are in the sea. But I'm used to that from Stuarts work

Hey, I'm simply trying to convince everyone to buy a packraft ... it's intentional

[Mike]

hmmm is it worth a purchase fella's?

[NewRetroTom]

hmmm is it worth a purchase fella's?

I would say so. If you like bothies then this book will give you more inspiration to go to some, and will help you make more informed decisions about which ones to go to. It may also make you aware of non-MBA bothies you didn't know about.

[Richpips]

I received a copy of this today. Good pictures and has some useful info.

[NorwayCalling]

I got my copy a few weeks back now and like others have said, its an OK book, nice pictures etc.

Just like the book series Lost lanes of Wales/Southern England/etc... nothing you cant get on an wet afternoons googling but that's not the point. The book is a great accompaniment to a coffee and slice of cake, allowing ones mind to drift off to theses remote places.

I am glad i have the book, kept me company on the nightshirt and now plans in the head that i cant shake.

[Mariner]

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2017 ... -highlands

[Bearbonesnorm]

The headline from the above article

A stay in a historic building with amazing views and convivial company sounds enticing – and even better when it comes free of charge.

[ZeroDarkBivi]

Surprised any Guardian hack has left the Smoke.

[ianfitz]

Surprised any Guardian hack has left the Smoke.

The article is by Geoff Allan. Advertorial style

[Mariner]

Wonder if they will appear on Tripadvisor?

[Borderer]

Although I have only met Geoff a couple of times, I feel I know him a lot better as I have been hearing stories about him for the past 12 years. He is good friends with two of the families in Edinburgh that we are also friends with and I have heard nothing but good things about the man. I am sure that he won't have undertaken to write this book lightly or without regard to the possible consequences. He is someone with an enduring love of Scotland's wild spaces who has devoted a lot of time in the past 5 years to this project which has now come to fruition. As he is not a car owner, he has completed the majority of his bothy visits using public transport and his bike. I believe that originally this project was conceived as 'bothies on a bike' as his blog is also called. It is a remarkable achievement completed with very limited financial resources. I think it was also a bit of a personal odyssey for Geoff so I am pleased to see the attention his work is now rightly getting. I think he deserves every bit of the payback.

The book itself is beautiful, helped by Geoff's fantastic photographs. His commitment to getting up at 5am (or earlier!) to photograph the bothies in the morning light has paid dividends. His love of bothy culture shines through the text and really makes this a book to cherish. That it has been a labour of love shines through on every page. So it gets top marks from me - buy a copy for yourself to inspire more trips to the north, or give it as a present to someone else who would appreciate it.

[whitestone]

Wonder if they will appear on Tripadvisor?

I've seen worse places than many bothies get good write-ups on Tripadvisor

[jameso]

I realise that I could look up many bothy location onlines anyway, probably those that are in the article, but the Guardian article misses is the opportunity to remind people of the ethics of use. ie, no, there isn't someone who comes along to collect your carrier bag of rubbish; or notes on fires and waste management. I wonder how many people might like the look of these places (as you would and they present them so well) but not be used to or even understand the leave no trace ideals that are so important.

It could have read "here's something rare and special these days, this is the idealolgy that supports or even allows it - something we can learn from and could apply to other places"? It's probably mentioned in the book and it is on the MBA site the article links to - if you look for it and click through again - but some points are better made at point of entry.

[Bearbonesnorm]

I realise that I could look up many bothy location onlines anyway, probably those that are in the article, but the Guardian article misses is the opportunity to remind people of the ethics of use. ie, no, there isn't someone who comes along to collect your carrier bag of rubbish; or notes on fires and waste management. I wonder how many people might like the look of these places (as you would and they present them so well) but not be used to or even understand the leave no trace ideals that are so important.

It could have read "here's something rare and special these days, this is the idealolgy that supports or even allows it - something we can learn from and could apply to other places"? It's probably mentioned in the book and it is on the MBA site the article links to - if you look for it and click through again - but some points are better made at point of entry.

That ^ up there, was pretty much my point when I posted the opening line from the article - "A stay in a historic building with amazing views and convivial company sounds enticing – and even better when it comes free of charge". I'm sure the book was written with good intentions and driven by a real love of the subject but that line is nothing but media, marketing drivel that aims to capitalise on peoples selfishness and greed and so sadly, betrays the original good intent and passion.