Get more folks involved in multi-day trips using bothies.

[plastic-ninja]

Hi Folks.This is just an idea on how to lure unsuspecting friends and family out for some serious fresh air and bushcraft without having them constantly whinging about tarps and bashas.
Even the most confirmed softies would be up for a night or two in one of the many bothies around the country and you can often camp nearby so can indulge your own desire for wilderness too.
From bothies it is a short step to caves and then to tarps and bivvies.
The mountain Bothy Association maintains many wilderness bothies and huts and provides a sleeping area and usually a stove or fireplace to cook or keep warm.Surroundings are spectacular and chances are if you choose the more remote ones you will be alone.Check them out and if you intend staying in one,please join the association as it is only about £30 for the year.You don't have to be a member to stay in one but it seems fair that you should contribute something for the experience.They also organise repair and maintenance camps all round the country if you would like to pass on some of your skills to them.
Give bothies a go.They are a great way of taking your family out of the house and into the wild without the pain.
If you have stayed in bothies please add to this thread.
Cheers , Simon

 

[Harvestman]

There's a bothie I know of near me. I've got a long weekend coming up, so I might give it a go.

 

[Shambling Shaman]

Must admit iv stayed in too many to mention, and have always left them better than I found and replaced any thing I used,

I do like the idea, logistically I would say a bothy that is easy to reach with minimum fuss that has the potential for a "wild camp" set up so that should it go south badly people can bug out to the house so to speak..

 

[nuggets]

Full of cannabis smoking / beer drinking weekend campers !! Can you send me a new map please ??............ seem to have left mine somewhere but for the life of me ...i can,t remember where :yikes:???

 

[demographic]

I've stayed up at Great Lingy hut (non MBA) and been to Mosedale cottage but not stayed there recently.
Quite cool places and I'll be looking at a few more up this end of the country in the coming year but I suspect that they could get pretty crowded sometimes.

 

[plastic-ninja]

They do indeed get a bit crowded in the more popular ones (especially those that get featured in Trail magazine) which is a great reason to join the MBA.You get a guide featuring all the bothies they maintain.Many of them are very remote indeed and particularly in the winter they are usually deserted.Having said that we have had some great craic with other wanderers in bothies.Our usual "gift" to the bothy and those who come after us is to leave enough wood to get a decent fire going as it can be hard to find in some areas , and some tindercard and matches if we have some to spare.Bothies are a fantastic resource for everyone : use them.
Have fun , Simon.