Читать книгу The Book of the Bothy онлайн

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 Escaping midges Bothies are usually home to spiders, and spiders mean fewer midges, so you can cook and eat your evening meal without getting bitten.

 People You may meet people with a similar love of the outdoors.

 Inside information Fellow visitors may share the location of other bothies or wild camp spots for you to discover.

Bothy cons

 Mice A mainstay of nearly every bothy, you are guaranteed to hear at least one at some point in your bothying experiences – make sure you pack your food away before you go to sleep.

 People Although a few like-minded souls can be good, too many can be frustrating – staying up too late, being loud, not understanding the boundaries of personal space, snoring.

 Poop Where there’s lots of people there can sometimes be a toilet issue; put a foot wrong and the consequences could be dire.

Conclusion: Do use bothies, but take a tent or bivvy bag as a back-up – that way the choice is yours...

Finding a bothy

If you’re serious, the first thing you should do is join the MBA. At the time of writing, membership is a tiny £20 per year, with a reduced rate of £10 to under 16s, over 60s and the unemployed (see www.mountainbothies.org.uk for current prices). The money you give goes straight into the pot to pay for maintenance work – so you can stay at your next bothy and know that your contribution made a difference. You’ll get a members’ handbook, a regular newsletter and the annual report.