Islay MBA bothy closure.

[Giant Stoneater]

https://www.grough.co.uk/magazine/2021/03/19/charge-for-use-of-islay-shelter-as-bothies-charity-returns-building-to-estate

[WalkWithWallace]

That's two bothy closures since the Bothy Bible was released. Is it coincidental or are estates just using it as an excuse so they can put these places on Airbnb as rustic accommodation to escape the rat race?

[jupe1407]

I think folk are far too quick to blame Geoff Allan tbh. There are some absolute moon-howlers out there on Bothy Facebook pages that are completely obsessed with "THAT BOOK!".

I think that some estates are simply coming to the realisation that they can make a bit of money off these things.

[Old Stag]

The book combined with rustic air bnb popularity. Staycations , NC500, there's a lot of factors. But the book certainly hasn't helped.

[davekeiller]

The book possibly hasn't helped, but I think there are several factors in play. It sounds like there's been a degree of tension for a few years and the estate have decided to introduce a nominal charge and a booking system. Presumably this will reduce overcrowding and make the bothy a more pleasant place to spend the night.

[Giant Stoneater]

It wasn't just the overcrowding, people were ignoring the private road signs and driving down the road and parking, which was causing problems for the estate.

[Booga]

It wasn't just the overcrowding, people were ignoring the private road signs and driving down the road and parking, which was causing problems for the estate.

I'm not one of these Geoff Allen obsessives but in the case of An Cladach he had put incorrect parking information in his book which led problems for residents and visitors telling them that the book mentions they could park there!

In general it's a combination of factors that will cause a landowner to close a bothy, and most of them come down to behaviour. Supposed increased use of bothies wouldn't be much of a problem if people parked considerately, carried coal in instead of trying to cut wood from trees, carried their litter out with them instead of leaving it for others and followed proper toilet procedure. Basically following the country code and leaving no trace. Sadly there are enough adults who can't behave like adults for it to become an issue.

To be honest I can't blame the estates for making this decision. A locked, bookable building will make them a bit of money and hopefully see a reduction in the antisocial behaviour that a "free" bothy sometimes attracts. I'm sure estates keep an eye on what each other are doing and will be interested to see how successful An Cladach and Peanmeannach will be in this new format, possibly leading to more closures if it's proven to bring in more money and fewer troublemakers.

At least the 2 bothies we've lost in the past year haven't been boarded up or demolished like some other "problem" bothies have in the past. And if the price is right I wouldn't mind paying for the peace of mind of not having a bunch of troublemakers turn up or having to clear up other people's rubbish when I get there.

[Tringa]

It wasn't just the overcrowding, people were ignoring the private road signs and driving down the road and parking, which was causing problems for the estate.

I'm not one of these Geoff Allen obsessives but in the case of An Cladach he had put incorrect parking information in his book which led problems for residents and visitors telling them that the book mentions they could park there!

In general it's a combination of factors that will cause a landowner to close a bothy, and most of them come down to behaviour. Supposed increased use of bothies wouldn't be much of a problem if people parked considerately, carried coal in instead of trying to cut wood from trees, carried their litter out with them instead of leaving it for others and followed proper toilet procedure. Basically following the country code and leaving no trace. Sadly there are enough adults who can't behave like adults for it to become an issue.

To be honest I can't blame the estates for making this decision. A locked, bookable building will make them a bit of money and hopefully see a reduction in the antisocial behaviour that a "free" bothy sometimes attracts. I'm sure estates keep an eye on what each other are doing and will be interested to see how successful An Cladach and Peanmeannach will be in this new format, possibly leading to more closures if it's proven to bring in more money and fewer troublemakers.

At least the 2 bothies we've lost in the past year haven't been boarded up or demolished like some other "problem" bothies have in the past. And if the price is right I wouldn't mind paying for the peace of mind of not having a bunch of troublemakers turn up or having to clear up other people's rubbish when I get there.

I agree. I know of, but don't know, The Bothy Bible and I can't imagine it helped. However, there has been an increase in the numbers of people visiting more remote areas of Scotland in recent years.Many have no interest in the areas and probably would never have gone if it had not received publicity(eg NC500) or it hadn't been used in a TV series or film and some of the visitors don't know how to behave in remote rural areas.

The estate on Islay will make a bit out of this action, though probably not a huge amount and at least they have said they will give some to the MBA and it will help to limit damage and unreasonable behaviour.

Unfortunately, we have to accept that every walk of society has anti-social members, including hillwalkers. A couple of years ago I read of a bothy that had been trashed. It was at least eight miles from any sort of vehicle track. As a comment on another walking forum said, "Given its location, the damage was done by one of ours."

Dave

[matt_outandabout]

I think we face more closures and restrictions.

As others said, there is a multitude of local factors at play, not just a book.

I cannot abide a lot of the attitudes displayed in the Facebook groups. Seems to visit a bothy note you need to type in an old Scots language, drink excessively, only meet as a group and seek only shelter that's relatively accessible.

I don't share many of the values users display, it's always been an issue, but I think we've a long summer ahead of access issues, bothies included.

[rgf101]

Only slept in a bothy once (when I realised I'd managed to pitch my tent on the lumpiest bit of ground around, and there was nobody in the bothy anyway) but have tended to avoid using them - I'd not feel comfortable not taking a tent, just in case, and once you've got the tent, it seems a better option to me to use it than risk being kept awake all night by, variously, snorers, midnight leak-takers, drinkers, late arrivals and early departures. I'll happily pop in and say hello and enjoy the fire if one's lit, but never quite seen the appeal of the actual accommodation. I tend not to be out in the worst weather, though.

Would be interesting, though probably impossible, to know how often they're actually used in an emergency nowadays.

I'm all for increasing the number of people out on the hills, but can easily imagine the bothy system becoming less sustainable. Although ironically, I'm probably more likely to use one if I can book and be sure of a place to sleep and no overcrowding, even if I do have to pay for it.