will find that are out there. Bothy-dwellers are a generous bunch, and having sussed out that you’re a responsible sort will often share with you other locations. So while all but one of the bothies in this book are maintained by the MBA (as denoted by the circular white MBA sign on the front door), it’s hoped that this book will serve as a starting point, a kicking-off into the wonderful world of bothies, from where you will discover more than you ever imagined.
Always take a tent or bivvy in case the bothy is full – particularly when visiting smaller bothies such as the Hutchison Memorial Hut
What to take
Rucksack (suggest around 40–50 litres)
Sleeping mat (if yours is inflatable and prone to puncture consider bringing a ground sheet)
Sleeping bag (in winter consider taking a liner for extra warmth)
Tent/bivvy (as a back-up)
Camping stove
Gas
Spork (fork, knife, spoon combination)
Mug
First aid kit (don’t forget the blister plasters and tick remover/tweezers)
Map (OS Landranger (1:50,000), Explorer (1:25,000) or Harvey – relevant maps are indicated in each chapter)
Headtorch (with new batteries inside)
Warm gloves, hat and buff
Fleece/midlayer
Waterproof jacket
Waterproof overtrousers
Insulated jacket (down or synthetic)
Dry bag containing: toothbrush and paste, dry socks, change of underwear, tissues
Toilet paper
Sanitary products (if applicable)
Disposal bag for toilet paper/sanitary products/general waste
Hand sanitiser
Water bottle (for purified water only)
Water container (collapsible, wide-mouthed is best) for collecting stream water
Food
Candles (tea lights) and lighter/matches
Fuel (see ’A note on fuel’ below) and small amount of kindling for the fire
Midge repellent (trust me, you’d rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it)
Pen for filling in the bothy book
Craig bothy, Torridon
Luxury item
In winter consider taking down booties – those nights can get cold!
A note on fuel
Most (although not all) bothies have either an open fire or a multi-fuel stove. This book indicates whether or not the featured bothies have one. If they do, it’s strongly advised that – unless indicated otherwise in the relevant chapter – you take in your own fuel. So what to take? Coal is the obvious choice – it burns longer and hotter than wood and stores heat well – although it is heavy, of course. If you decide on coal, consider getting the smokeless variety. Wood is the other option, although a bag of wood is a lot bulkier than coal. If you decide on wood, a better option is wood briquettes (also known as ’heat logs’), which are compact and often have a guaranteed burn time of 1–2hrs.
If you forget to take fuel, think very carefully about what to use. Never cut live trees – only ever use dead wood. Don’t chop up furniture/shelves inside the bothy to burn. It may be annoying to forget fuel – we’ve all done it – but please still be a responsible user.
The former Warden’s Room in Craig bothy, Torridon, offers a luxury overnight experience
Etiquette
Much like wild camping, to be a good bothy guest you need to follow good etiquette. Members of the MBA follow a Bothy Code of Conduct, but you don’t need to be a member to be a responsible bothy user. Simply follow this fairly common-sense set of guidelines.
Look after your bothy From tiding up food after you make it to taking out rubbish someone else has left behind – it’s all about doing as much as you can to make bothying a great experience for everyone else. So if you’ve got room left in your backpack, take out that rubbish that was there when you arrived – even if it’s not yours.
...and look after its surroundings This book indicates when a stove or fireplace is present, and also when you should bring your own fuel – so you can go prepared. Please don’t cut live trees or nearby fences for your fire, and don’t light a fire outside the bothy.
Everybody’s got to go, but... When you need the toilet, be courteous. If there is a toilet (which is rare, but some have them) follow the instructions to the letter. If it says not to drop down anything but tissue and human waste, then don’t throw down a wet wipe. If it asks you to refill the bowl from the stream once you’ve flushed, then fill the bowl from the stream when you’ve finished – no matter what the weather. In the much more likely case that there is no toilet, note the spade in the corner. It’s there for entirely this reason – make sure you use it. When you do, remember these simple steps:
1 Go at least 200m away from the bothy, at least 50m from a path and definitely at least 50m from a watercourse (it is, after all, likely to be the place where you’ll want to source your drinking water), and downstream of the bothy.
2 Try to carry your own waste out with you (places like the Cairngorms operate a Poo Pot scheme – pick up a Poo Pot from the ranger base and return it there for disposal – and dry-bag manufacturers make bags for the same purpose).
3 If you can’t carry out your own waste, bury it, even in winter. Using the spade, dig a hole at least 15cm deep (if there’s snow on the ground, it needs to be a hole in the ground below the snow to stop an unwelcome surprise for other walkers in spring) and go in that.
4 Carry out all your toilet paper and any sanitary products (remember to take a special bag for this in your rucksack) and cover the hole.
5 Remember to wash your hands – antiseptic hand sanitiser is the best method as no water is required.
This friendly sign hangs on the door of every bothy in the MBA network
Make sure everyone is welcome It’s not first come, first served; bothies are there for everyone to use, so try to accommodate everyone who turns up – no one should be left out in the cold. Don’t like crowds? Take your own tent or bivvy to give yourself a Plan B.
Be generous... to a point While it’s good to leave things for the next guest – be sensible. A few pieces of coal, some firelighters or tinder is great; rubbish that you think would work as kindling and can’t be bothered to carry out, not so good. Want to share your food? Think about it – what food would you be prepared to eat when you don’t know the source? Unopened tinned food – yes; a half-eaten bag of nuts – no. And remember mice are frequent visitors too; don’t encourage them by leaving opened food.
Don’t outstay your welcome If an estate asks users not to visit the bothy at certain times of the year, it’s for a good reason. So respect their wishes, and if they ask you to call ahead to check it’s safe – then do it.