Walkhighlands

www.heraldscotland.com/news/16862012.hillwalker-dave-monk-says-smoking-ban-loophole-ruining-bothy-experience-after-children-saturated-by-fumes/?ref=mr&lp=20

I hadn't realised the smoking ban doesn't apply in bothies as they are classed as private dwellings. Has anyone had any issues with this?

I suspect that encountering such a rude & selfish oaf as happened here is extremely rare. It's not against the law to defecate on a bothy floor but that doesn't mean it's ok.

But while smoking may be legal, by using the bothy this chap should be adhering to the bothy code, which includes being considerate to other other bothy users which clearly this chap wasn't!

Even if it was illegal, how would it be policed? The kind of person who has no qualms about sparking up in a bothy is probably the same sort of person who would happily bop you on the nose if you protested about some trifle such as the law.
Trouble is it's all very hard to avoid the odd idiot who's out to spoil other people's days - thankfully they few in number.

This is a contentious one. Personally I do not smoke and I have never encountered anyone smoking in bothies also. However if they did, I would like to think as part of 'The Bothy Code' they would do so outdoors, more so if children are present.

However on reading the full article and particularly the comments below it seems that the author of the piece was acting extremely aggresively.

Anti social behaviour or smoking? I guess we all need to be a bit more respectful to each other, vices included.

The person smoking is currently on a FB page stating he intends to contact the Herald over the article. He states he had just lit up and was on his way out of the door to go outside when confronted by angry and aggressive persons concerned about the smoke. Smoking aside have you ever smelt your gear after a night near a bothy fire?

I suppose I've been lucky in the past - any smokers I've encountered in a bothy have always asked if I mind before sparking up (and I don't generally, as bothies are pretty whiffy anyway). I would have thought it would be good manners to ask at least. Anyway, it appears there would be another side to that particular story.

It's a bothy, not a health spa. I agree that it would be polite to ask (particularly if children are present) but some folk need to take a deep breath and relax a bit (maybe with a ciggie...).

"They were literally being saturated by this guy's cigarette smoke" - clearly neither English nor Chemistry were part of Mr Monk's higher education.

Good journalism, Bob Scotts get a mention but Gelder Shiel gets the picture!

Old Bill wrote:It's not against the law to defecate on a bothy floor but that doesn't mean it's ok.

No smoking in Bothies....or anywhere near me. ...and no defecating on the floor either!

If you are taking your kids out for a wilderness experience why would you take them to a bothy? It's just wrong - a bit like taking them to a dive bar. Take them wild camping instead.
I dont smoke but smoking in bothies is ok by me.

willsdad wrote:

Old Bill wrote:It's not against the law to defecate on a bothy floor but that doesn't mean it's ok.

No smoking in Bothies....or anywhere near me. ...and no defecating on the floor either!

It's not against the law to sing the slightly annoying world famous (maybe not) classic Spanish song: Camellos, here translated into English

(Hints for translation: camello = camel, caravana = caravan

1 camel, oh!
2 camels, oh!
3 camels, oh!
4 camels, oh!
5 camels, oh!
6 camels, oh!
7 camels, oh!
8 camels, oh!
9 camels, oh!
10 camels, oh!
11 camels, oh!
12 camels, oh!
1 caravan, oh!
1 caravan and 1 camel, oh!
1 caravan and 2 camels, oh!
1 caravan and 3 camels, oh!
1 caravan and 4 camels, oh!
1 caravan and 5 camels, oh!
1 caravan and 6 camels, oh!
1 caravan and 7 camels, oh!
1 caravan and 8 camels, oh!
1 caravan and 9 camels, oh!
1 caravan and 10 camels, oh!
1 caravan and 11 camels, oh!
1 caravan and 12 camels, oh!
2 caravans, oh!
2 caravans and 1 camel, oh!
2 caravans and 2 camels, oh!
(and so on...)

Sunset tripper wrote:If you are taking your kids out for a wilderness experience why would you take them to a bothy? It's just wrong - a bit like taking them to a dive bar. Take them wild camping instead.
I dont smoke but smoking in bothies is ok by me.

Why should we not give children a bothy experience? It's a integral part of the Scottish outdoor experience. Apart from taking y grandchildren on bothy trips, I once came across about 40 school kids camping at Courrour bothy. All that is required is a bit of respect on all,sides. Excluding whole sections of society to accommodate smokers from certain places seems like a good reason to ban smoking everywhere.

You guys apparently have never heard of the Kearvaig Pipe Club. They take smoking in bothies to a whole new level. I never had the pleasure, but I hope I only ever meet them in bothies with 2 rooms.

Since a smoking ban in bothies can not be enforced by the landowner or the police, I see no point in banning it. If the landowner risks getting a fine if someone is reported smoking on his bothy premises, the bothies will be locked up soon.

If anything, a ban has to be included in the mba-etiquette or the mba or the landowner simply hang a no-smoking sign at a wall. The last time I met a smoker at the hutchy, he was gentleman enough to ask whether we minded. I was the only one who minded and he went outside to smoke. The only other time I had a smoker in the same bothy, there were enough rooms, so no problem either. I believe it is a rare case when common sense and some cooperative behaviour can't deal with the situation.

LeithySuburbs wrote:
"They were literally being saturated by this guy's cigarette smoke" - clearly neither English nor Chemistry were part of Mr Monk's higher education.

walkingpoles wrote:You guys apparently have never heard of the Kearvaig Pipe Club. They take smoking in bothies to a whole new level. I never had the pleasure, but I hope I only ever meet them in bothies with 2 rooms.

Since a smoking ban in bothies can not be enforced by the landowner or the police, I see no point in banning it. If the landowner risks getting a fine if someone is reported smoking on his bothy premises, the bothies will be locked up soon.

If anything, a ban has to be included in the mba-etiquette or the mba or the landowner simply hang a no-smoking sign at a wall. The last time I met a smoker at the hutchy, he was gentleman enough to ask whether we minded. I was the only one who minded and he went outside to smoke. The only other time I had a smoker in the same bothy, there were enough rooms, so no problem either. I believe it is a rare case when common sense and some cooperative behaviour can't deal with the situation.

Indeed - all it need is a bit of courtesy, which I'm sure is common amongst smokers these days.
But reading some of the above comments seems there's more to this than might first appear.... and perhaps the author is just one of these people that likes be outraged.
But getting back to original gist, I wouldn't be happy if someone was smoking cigarettes in a bothy and refused to go outside. Pipes and cigars are a different matter though!

Since a ban on smoking in bothies cannot be enforced, all it would do is create more unpleasant situations and arguments.

After all, leaving piles of litter and rotten food, defecating on the tables ripping up panelling to burn and chopping down live wood is not permitted - and what difference does that make (though, it seems, such issues are not of particular concern to the anti-smoking lobby)?

As it stands, most smokers are quite happy to go outside if there are others in the room who'd rather they didn't smoke.

It's not often aggressive individuals burst into a bothy in a rage because someone has lit up. But it's really a non story.