The Book of the Bothy

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A celebration of 26 of the author’s favourite bothies, as she shares her memories of her favourite ‘stone tents’ all over the UK in remote and wild locations. Packed with expert advice on how to make use of these ‘free, old, empty houses’, from packing lists to bothy etiquette and the best walks into these remote locations.

Cicerone says

Journey into some of the wildest and remotest spots of the UK and you will be amazed at what you will find – old, empty houses left open for you to use… and at no charge? It sounds too good to be true – but it’s not. Thanks to the fantastic work of the Mountain Bothies Association (MBA), the UK is home to a network of hundreds of bothies, lovingly maintained by volunteers for walkers and climbers to access some of the UK’s greatest wilderness.

This book celebrates the very best bothies in the country. Follow in Phoebe’s footsteps as she shares hard-won, expert advice on how best to make use of these ‘stone tents’, including packing lists, bothy etiquette, best walking routes in, local legends and more. And be inspired to pay a visit to one yourself as she recounts stories from her own stays in these stone sanctuaries – sharing whisky from Sigg bottles, telling ghost stories around a roaring fire and dishing out dry socks to late arrivals

 

Our Verdict

For nearly 50 years Cicerone have been producing guidebooks on recognised treks, regions, areas and general tips for hikers.

We have used them countless times and they’ve always provided excellent insight and knowledge that you only get through experience, giving you the edge to make your trip a success and more enjoyable too.

If you’re a gram counter you can easily remove sections of the book to take with you making your own ultra-lightweight guidebook with only the essential sections that you require.

– Reviewed by Ultralight Outdoor Gear

Features

• Seasons: Bothies are accessible year-round
• Centres: Wales – Snowdonia, Brecon Beacons, Devil’s Bridge. England: Buttermere and Mosedale (Lake District), Dufton (Pennines), Kielder Forest Park (Northumberland). Scotland – Highlands and Isle of Skye, Glenduror Forest, Fort Augustus, Spean Bridge, Rannoch Moor, Cairngorms, Galloway Forest, Fisherfield, Sandwood Bay, Oykel Bridge.
• Difficulty: Good level of fitness and ability required. Some of the bothies featured can be reached in a half day’s walk, on easy to follow bridleways and paths; others require technical and/or navigation skills, especially in winter, with some river crossings or scrambling
• Must See: Bothies in this book cover some of the UK’s wildest spots. Highlights included Sandwood Bay, Fisherfield forest, the Isle of Skye, Mosedale in the Lake District, the Torridon coastline, Rannoch Moor, Ben Alder, the Cairngorms National Park, Galloway Forest and Snowdonia’s Carneddau.

Specifications

• Edition: First
• Number of pages: 240
• Size: 17.2 x 11.6 x 1.4cm
• Weighs 270g

Contents

Introduction

Welcome to the wonderful world of bothying;
What are bothies?
History of bothies
Facilities to expect
Why bothy?
Finding a bothy
MBA or not?
The bothy book
Safety issues
Etiquette
Traditions
How you can help
What to take when bothying
A note on fuel
The best bothies – or why these 26?

Scotland

• Dumfries and Galloway
• Tunskeen

Lowther Hills

• Kettleton Byre

 Glen Coe

• Taigh Seumas a’ Ghlinne

 Scottish Highlands

• Lairig Leacach

 Dalwhinnie

• Ben Alder Cottage

 Great Glen

• Blackburn of Corrieyairack

 East Highlands

• Ruigh Aiteachain

 Balmoral

• Glendar Shiel Stable

 Cairngorms

• Bob Scott’s
• Hutchinson Memorial Hut
• Ryvoan

Wester Ross

• Easan Dorcha (The Teahouse)
• Shenavall

Isle of Skye

• The Lookout
• Torridon
• Craig

 Sutherland

• The Schoolhouse
• Glencoul

Sandwood Estate

•  StrathChailleach

Wales 

Brecon Beacons

• Grwyne Fawr

Mid-Wales

• Nant Syddian

Snowdonia

•  Arenig Fawr

Carneddau

• Dulyn

 England

 Lake District

• Warnscale Hea
• Mosedale Cottage

 Pennines

• Cross Fell

Northumberland

• Kershopehead