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Bothy Bagging MASTERCLASS BOTHY BAGGING Offering five-star views, bothies are basic, off-grid stone shelters providing hardy hillwalkers with a welcome refuge in some of Great Britain’s most wild and lonely places. Follow our experts’ advice on using them WORDS LUKE WATERSON t a time when travel was more area. Almost all lack a toilet, running water with volunteers from eight different arduous and accommodation or mains electricity. Nevertheless, their countries participating in a renovation of options scant, Highland popularity is on the increase. Leacraithnaich on the Morvern Peninsula. Ahospitality was an honoured The Mountain Bothies Association The MBA posts details of forthcoming work Scottish tradition for centuries, obligating (MBA) is a charitable organisation that parties on their website. households to provide free shelter to maintains about 100 shelters and aims to This network of buildings is reliant for travellers. In a more commercial and less keep them open ‘for the use and benefit their survival on good nature and respect: community-minded age, this tradition has of all who love wild and lonely places’. not just that of landowners and MBA largely fallen by the wayside, with one The MBA runs regular maintenance parties volunteers, but also that of bothy users in rather eclectic exception: bothies. for its volunteer workforce and could be adhering to a strict code (see opposite). Bothies are remote wilderness shelters involved with fitting a new roof or making While some of Scotland’s bothies have that are mainly used by hikers, cyclists and drinks for those doing the repairs. Recent sea or loch access or are occasionally sometimes kayakers as vital overnight work parties have had good turnouts, accessible via farm tracks, often the only refuges during longer forays into the wilds. way in is on foot. Often fascinating historic buildings that ‘The locations of many bothies make have outlived their original purpose – such them ideally placed for mountain climbers as old estate cottages and schoolhouses – and hillwalkers,’ says Neil Stewart, MBA’s in Great Britain, most are found in remote publicity coordinator. ‘But they serve to parts of Scotland, predominantly in the make the outdoors that much more Highlands, Skye and Dumfries and enjoyable, too. The Hutchison Memorial Galloway, plus a few scattered examples Hut in the Cairngorms, for example, is across North Wales and northern England. close to Munro ascents but also well Bothies are basic shelters that are always positioned for users to appreciate the left unlocked and are free to use. Inside, they marvellous solitude.’ have little more than four walls and a roof. Above: The Lookout (Rubha Hunish), Skye, While many require some stamina to Most have a hearth and a raised sleeping built in 1928 as a coastguard watch station reach, such as Maol Bhuidhe, near Loch 80 WALK AUTUMN 2019 Walk64_80-83_MASTERCLASS_final.indd 80 07/08/2019 11:17 MOUNTAINSOLO SHELTERS WALKING Above: Corrour bothy in the Cairngorms ‘They are basic: think camping, without rubbish (and do not bury it); and, finally, has an open fire and a composting toilet the tent,’ advises Neil. ‘Take everything else do bury human waste well away from the you would need on a camping trip when building. They are easy rules to observe Monar in the West Highlands, others are you go. And maybe take a tent anyway. in return for being able to overnight in reachable by reasonably fit day walkers, Everyone says ‘a bothy is never full’ and that Britain’s most beautiful wild scenery. being within a few hours’ walk. They’re is generally true because bothies cannot be a great spot for a lunch or tea break. reserved and guests will always try to make A SENSE OF PLACE A superb introduction to a range of room. But bothies get crowded and your Scotland’s sad history of clearances during bothies could be on the Cape Wrath Trail, tent might be more comfortable. Then the 19th century resulted in many cottages, the only long-distance trail in the UK again, you’ll often be the only person and in some instances entire communities, traversing remote enough terrain to have staying. You never know.’ becoming abandoned. In the 20th century, nothing else in the way of accommodation the trend continued with the sheer isolation at the end of many days’ stages. This CODE OF CONDUCT of the surrounding landscapes meaning 200-mile tramp from Fort William to Cape Bothy locations and etiquette probably help many more buildings became impractical Wrath, along the rugged edge of the to deter the masses, minimise misuse and to maintain. The bothy network today North-west Highlands, has plenty of bothies encourage only folk with a genuine passion almost totally comprises these neglected for bagging, such as serene Sourlies on a for and interest in the great outdoors. The structures, mostly erstwhile estate cottages wild sandy beach on Knoydart, or Glendhu bothy code, a copy of which is found at each and long-lost crofts, often with poignant on a forgotten loch inlet near Kylesku. shelter, is straightforward: respect any history you can almost feel. ‘We welcome anyone responsible and agreement with the estate whose land the On the lonely edge of long, steel-blue curious to find out more about our bothies,’ bothy is on, such as keeping to tracks where Loch Ericht in the Grampian Mountains, says Neil. ‘They are not for big groups, but asked; leave the bothy tidy, and with dry Ben Alder Cottage bothy lies near a slew of more suited for ones and twos. The point kindling supplies topped up; leave the crags containing the cave where Bonnie of them is not to be for long stays, but fire extinguished and outside doors and Prince Charlie hid out while on the run simply for overnight shelter.’ Nor are windows shut; leave only non-perishable from English troops. On Ardnish Peninsula PHOTOGRAPHY: ALAMY PHOTOGRAPHY: they holiday homes. food; do not cut live wood; take away all near Mallaig, the moody ruins of E AUTUMN 2019 WALK 81 Walk64_80-83_MASTERCLASS_final.indd 81 07/08/2019 11:17 Been to a bothy lately? ‘I use quite a lot of bothies on hikes, probably about three a year. In March, a few of us went to Coire Fionnaraich bothy (right), not too far from Strathcarron. Spectacular. My top tip would be to take better food than if you were camping. The combination of a lonely location and being able to make nice food away from the weather or midges is brilliant.’ Duncan Sproul, Edinburgh Young Walkers ‘We wanted to ascend a Graham- Smith (not always harmoniously!) and and Corbett- the man’s vibrant paintings decorate level hill from Strathchailleach’s walls still. Corrour Station ‘The best bothies have a sense of place,’ (made famous says Geoff Allan, author of the Scottish by the fi lm Bothy Bible. ‘They are part of their Trainspotting), landscape. Traditionally, every croft would and Loch Chiarain have had a bothy for workers to sleep in. bothy made a convenient midway Thanks to MBA maintenance eff orts, a base. You never quite know who to bothy has become part of Scotland’s cultural expect when you open the door. My zeitgeist. But the way they are publicised is top tip? Take plenty of sugary food, interesting. The MBA has existed since a good head torch and something to Top and above: The Hutchison Memorial Hut in Coire Etchachan, built in 1954 1965, for example, but only published read about the local history.’ location information on bothies’ Owain Bristow, Peanmeanach, a sizeable community before whereabouts in 2009. Before that they Aberdeen Young Walkers the Highland Clearances, has one stone were word-of-mouth, known only to a cottage still with a bright lick of paint: the few. It’s quite a Scottish trait to be private ‘About 18 months former post-offi ce-turned-bothy. about these things and only reveal them to ago, we planned More recently, abandoned buildings those they trust.’ a there-and-back under the MBA’s care include one at Duag walk, with the Bridge, near Ullapool, occupying an old GREAT CAMARADERIE bothy at Gorton, schoolhouse in use until the 1930s, and This would explain why Geoff ’s book was near Bridge of with original chairs and tables intact. contentious when it was published in 2017, Orchy. They are Pupils, the MBA records, once used stilts following fi ve years of research and visits to ideal locations for to ford the swollen river below to attend more than 100 bothies. a lunch or brew classes. A former coastguard lookout on ‘It defi nitely made “bothying” – going to stop. My top tip would be Skye’s Trotternish peninsula, defunct after a bothy for the experience rather than on an to join the MBA, which telecommunications advances in the 1970s, A-to-B hike – more popular,’ refl ects Geoff . keeps most bothies fi t is now the spectacular Lookout bothy. Cape ‘But I see my book more as encouraging for use and deserves Wrath’s off -grid Strathchailleach bothy people to get out. Scotland has world-class your support.’ was home to local character James scenery. Bothies help you enjoy it. And there Trevor Jones, McRory Smith for 30 years, on and off , has never been a better time to get into Lochaber and until 1994. At one point, bothy users slept bothying. Volunteers are more proactive Lorn Group under the same roof as the spirited McRory and renovations are of a higher standard.’ 82 WALK AUTUMN 2019 Walk64_80-83_MASTERCLASS_final.indd 82 07/08/2019 11:03 MOUNTAIN SHELTERS Clockwise from top left: Maol Bhuidhe bothy says.
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