Leaving Kit in Bothies?

[malrobb]

Hi All,

Just seeking a bit of advice on bothy etiquette. Are you OK to leave stuff in a bothy for collection later? Looking to do the Fisherfield 6 and due to weather unknowns we might seek to do it in a "oner" from Shenavall in which case we might leave some camping stuff, food and water or we might camp out on route and may stash some stuff for collections later. Grateful for any advice.

Thanks

Mal

[Caberfeidh]

I wouldn't these days, there are too many folk using the bothies, many not the type who used to. Stash your kit somewhere nearby, maybe under a pile of rocks in the scree, or under a dug-out flap of peat-turf.

[kaye.cantlay]

I've left an entire rucksack of overnight gear at the Over Phawhope bothy whilst I walked for the day- no problem at all.

[Fiona Reid]

If you're coming back to the kit that day just leave a note on it saying when you'll be back so no one eats your food or thinks the kit iis abandoned rubbish.

Probably worth putting any non tinned food inside a Tupperware tub or hanging it up so the mice don't think bonza!

[Fiona Reid]

For Shenevall I'd not be too concerned, anything < an hour from the road of close to civilization I'd be more paranoid.

[NickyRannoch]

I wouldn't these days, there are too many folk using the bothies, many not the type who used to.

This is true, you rarely hear of people stripping out the wall linings for fuel, refusing people entry and recreational drug use. It's not what it was,

[davekeiller]

As above, it's generally safe enough but it would be wise to leave a note giving an approximate route and expected time back in order to prevent someone raising the alarm unnecessarily (or so that they *can* raise the alarm if you're significantly overdue).

[Mal Grey]

In winter, and in bothies that are well north of the Great Glen and at least an hour from the road, we normally leave all our gear in place whilst we do a day walk, just tidying it up a bit so any new arrivals don't think we're trying to hog the place.

The point about leaving a note is probably worthwhile in such places. I've used the bothy book for this to some extent, putting a message in that mentions where we are that day and, on the one occasion when there were a few of us, making sure later arrivals knew we would make space for them.

[davekeiller]

I remember Heather Morning suggesting it at one of her Winter Safety talks. There was a case a few years ago where someone was involved in a fatal accident in the Cairngorms who had told family the he was staying at Corrour Bothy.
Had he left a note in the bothy with details of his expected route, they might have found him in time. As it was, I believe it took a couple of days of searching by both Cairngorm and Braemar teams before they found his body.

[gammy leg walker]

Left all my overnight kit,food and booze in Bendronaig Bothy while I went and did Cheesecake and Lurg Mhor and nothing was touched

[malrobb]

Thanks for all the responses; much appreciated.

Mal