Читать книгу The Book of the Bothy онлайн

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 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.

 Keep it brief The whole point of a bothy is that it’s a temporary refuge for walkers – so keep walking. Don’t turn up and set up home there for a week. One or two nights is fine, but any longer and you’ll need to ask permission first. There are plenty more bothies anyway, so get exploring rather than settling in the same one.