Читать книгу The Book of the Bothy онлайн

18 страница из 51

Why bothy?

It’s a fair question, and one my friends and even family members frequently ask me. Aside from the obvious – that I love them, and once you get the bothy bug you can’t stop going to them (I swear it’s worse than being a Munro-bagger) – it’s really the same reason that you go wild camping, or even just walking. It’s to get away from everything and enjoy discovering the uncrowded and rugged corners of a beautiful country.

Of course, you can do exactly the same thing with a trusty bivvy bag or tent, so below is a list I’ve drawn up to show the pros and cons of staying in a bothy versus a tent. I’ll leave it to you to decide the best...

Bothy pros

 Warmth You can have a fire and get warm.

 Space Rather than being stuck in a cramped crouch of a tent, trying to get undressed without touching the sides of your condensation-drenched walls, you have the luxury of space to manoeuvre, stretch – even dance if the mood takes you.

 Drying out Got caught out in the rain? At a bothy you can dry your clothes out above a fire or spread your belongings out on a table and let them dry.