Bothying

[My Kitten]

Ventured into the unknown world of bothying yesterday.

Lovely place, friendly people, beer and food

[Alex Glass]

Where?

Looks interesting. Wish I could have joined you Kitten.

[My Kitten]

Where?

Looks interesting. Wish I could have joined you Kitten.

Shiel of Castlemaddy, down Galloway. Was interesting, little place was packed with 14 people!

[Alex Glass]

A beautiful part of Scotland.

I worked near Dumfries for a couple of years. Always wanted to set up a small bothy for when I had to work on the hill which was a fare bit away from the main house. Don't know if I could manage with so many people around me.

[My Kitten]

Aye alex, would be better as a wee place for the one person. I cant do crowds of folk so went to bed early (1am) they were up till 6am!

[Alex Glass]

I've always wanted to live in a but'n'ben. This looks ideal although how did they fit 14 in there.

[My Kitten]

I've always wanted to live in a but'n'ben. This looks ideal although how did they fit 14 in there.

well sleeping bags fit in like little sausage rolls so not as much space needed on the sleeping platforms.

[Dugald]

Enjoyed these lovely pictures. They make bothying look like a great passtime.

My wife and I did quite a number of bicycle tours over in Scotland and we had the pleasure of being invited into a bothy on two occasions. Oh this bothy wasn't away up in the beautiful hills, as the one in the above photograph appears to be, although its location was not any less attractive than that of the above bothy.

During the Great War an anti-submarine boom-defence had been installed from the Cloch lighthouse over to the Dunoon side, and along with this a concrete gun-emplacement with crew accommodation had been built beside the Cloch light. This boom was used again during WWII. After the war the site was abandoned and lay unused, empty, and in bad repair for quite a number of years.

A number of Glasgow, and other, cyclists, took it upon themselves to clean up the gun site, put doors on it, and make it habitable. Light furniture, and a cooking-stove had been put in and it became a popular bothy where cyclists could stop and have a drum-up while out for a ride. It was only accessible to a select few, and it was deemed a bit of an honour to be given one's own key for entry.

My wife and I were never honoured with a key, but we were invited in for a drum-up and enjoyed ourselves very much. The location, right beside the Cloch light looking out over to Cowal, is as nice a part of Scotland as I have found. Mind you, there was no beer, and as far as I know it was only used for overnight sleeping on rare occasions.

I wonder though, maybe this wouldn't be considered a part of the real "world of bothying "?

[scallopboy]

Bothying is the new rock and roll. There are some smashing bothy piccies on http://www.mountainbothies.org.uk/forum/gallery2.php

You canny beat a weekend in the wilds burning things and drinking.

[Pgcc93]

I've dossed in a few Scallopy for days on end
One of my faves is Sheneval but it's far too busy during the Summer and at weekends.
Me and Mrs 93 took our tent just to be on the safe side. Thankfully there was room downstairs amongst the mice

[My Kitten]

visited another

[scallopboy]

visited another

I keep telling you it's not a bothy, it's my rural retreat

[Smartalex]

visited another

I keep telling you it's not a bothy, it's my rural retreat ::):

But 'N' Ben if you will.

But still if you know where it's GPS location is then it's a Bothy.

looks great though must have been right cauld but.

[My Kitten]

It was cold, especially last night, but loads of wood was burned

[mrsam]

The best bothies you find for yourself, like the one I got to that still had all of the things from the last owner. It included his books papers dressing gown and pictures. That place was open for all to use

Good bothy hunting

Instructions for a good bothy

Ingredients

bothy
door
fire
sleeping bag
chair
food
drink (Whisky preferably)

Recipie

take 1 bothy and check that door fits and is not draughty. Create a fire in fireplace, and cook and eat food. Set out sleeping bag and roll mats for end of night. Stoke fire and drink whisky
fall into comatose sleep and repeate process another night in another place

Sam

P.S. any bothiers know who the cat postcard man (Maybe person) is??