Bothy: In Search of Simple Shelter

by Kat Hill

The door to the bothy is always unlocked, you just need to step inside.

You will find them in the mountains. You will find them in the wilderness. A bothy is a remote hut you can’t reserve, with no electricity, mod-cons, running water or a marker on the map. And it’s here you’ll find Kat Hill – kettle on, feet up and pen out.

Leading us on a gorgeous and erudite journey around the UK, Kat reveals the history of these wild mountain shelters and the people who visit them. With a historian’s insight and a rambler’s imagination, she lends fresh consideration to the concepts of nature, wilderness and escape. All the while, weaving together her story of heartbreak and new purpose with those of her fellow wanderers, past and present.

Writing with warmth, wit and infectious wanderlust, Kat moves from a hut in an active military training area in the far-north of Scotland to a fairy-tale cottage in Wales. Along her travels, she explores the conflict between our desire to preserve isolated beauty and the urge to share it with others, embodied by the humble bothy.

Bothy is a stirring, beautiful book for anyone who longs to run away to the wilds.

Genres: Nonfiction, Nature, Memoir, Audiobook, History, Scotland, Outdoors

400 pages, Hardcover

First published March 9, 2024

Reviews

[Sophy H · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was a little disappointed with this one.

I think the book suffered from repetition syndrome; at 400 pages there are just too many instances detailing the same thing- I went for a hike/walk/jaunt with this man/woman/friend/acquaintance, we got to a bothy in this/that/the other part of Scotland (mainly); here is the bothy history, the bothy had one/two rooms with a fire/shelves/hooks/wood; we slept/ate/talked/signed the visitor's book/sang/listened to music........... After a while this gets pretty samey and it becomes a little boring to read.

Don't get me wrong, bothies are great, people that maintain bothies are cool dudes, visiting bothies sounds like a blast. It's just, a book with many many many bothies over hundreds of pages is just a no no for me!

[this.catreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

End-of-term-itis has struck hard this year and I have been forced to spend most of the past few days simply sleeping and reading. It really wasn't as great as it sounds as I had plans, but if you're going to be knocked back in this way, you'd struggle to do it with a book better than Bothy.

Gentle, engaging, humorous, and endlessly inspirational, Kat Hill not only describes the life and history of the simple, isolated little dwellings that she visits, but she also talks openly and honestly about how she recovered from some serious challenges in her life.

As well as loving all the bothy content, I hugely appreciated the thought-provoking snippets of poetry that are dotted through the text, several of which made me really pause for thought. I also enjoyed reading the personal stories of other bothy users, who found themselves using bothies for all kinds of reasons.
It perhaps comes as no surprise that the enforced simplicity that bothy life provides enables creativity, and I was especially moved by the stories of artist Winifred Nicholson and poet Kathleen Raine, who found solace, mental space and healing in the beautiful Scottish landscape.

As you may have gathered, this really is not just a book about bothies or walking. It's so much more. It's also about people, environment, politics, friendship, culture and history. There's going to be something in there for any fan of the outdoors, especially if they've enjoyed reading Raynor Winn, John Lewis Stempel, or Roger Deakin. If you care about the future of the landscape, or just need a taste of it from the comfort of your own living room, this is the book for you.

So, what's the appeal in bothies? I guess for those who prefer holiday accommodation with hot running water and a flushing toilet, it might be a mystery. I can completely understand the appeal, but if you need convincing, I think Hill summarises it beautifully when she says 'You return to the rhythms of the body, of the weather, the light, the dark.' That is definitely part of simple accommodation for me, as well as the complete quiet that is so hard to find these days.

I really think I should mention that I found myself feeling truly challenged as I read, by how courageous all the women included in this book are. It's made me question quite how brave I am, and think it's maybe to start doing some of the things I've been talking about for years and have been dodging due to fear.

Ultimately, this book filled me with a sense of comforting optimism, not just for my own future, but also for the future of wild places. While there are so many beautiful souls who value wilderness and isolation so highly, there really is a possibility it will be preserved for my children and my children's children.

I think my take home will probably be this:

'You have to put one foot in front of the other and trust the path, even when it's unclear, undone by weather and rain.'

Be brave, friends. You never know where that path will lead you.

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eine Bothy ist ein Ort, der Wanderern in Großbritannien Schutz bietet. Meistens ist es eine kleine Hütte, die von nur vier Wänden bis hin zu mehreren Zimmern mit Stromversorgung durch Solarpanelen alles bieten kann. Waren sie am Anfang nur als Übernachtungsmöglichkeit für eine Nacht oder als Schutz vor Unwettern gedacht, kann man manche von ihnen mittlerweile auch mieten. Im Lauf mehrerer Monate besucht Kat Hill mehrere von ihnen und erzählt in ihrem Buch von diesen Besuchen.

Zitat "We all need refuge from something at one time or another"

Auch wenn man diesen Satz nicht nur auf eine kleine Hütte in der Wildnis beziehen muss, beschreibt er für mich sehr schön, was eine Bothy ist. Ich habe bei Wanderungen in Schottland selbst in Bothys übernachtet und vieles von dem, was Kat Hill beschrieben hat, habe ich ähnlich erlebt. Sie trifft auf unterschiedliche Arten von Wanderern, denn jeder erlebt die Natur, in der er unterwegs ist, anders. Manche wollen nur Kilometer machen und für sich allein bleiben, andere interessieren sich für die Geschichte der Bothy und den Menschen, die sie dort antreffen.

Das wird Kat Hill besonders deutlich, als sie von Cape Wrath zur Kearvaig Bothy wandert. Auf ihrem Weg dorthin trifft sie auf Touristen in Wohnmobilen, die nicht kaum ihr Fahrzeug verlassen, einen jungen Mann, der den gesamten Cape Wrath Trail wandert und der kaum den Blick vom Pfad hebt, aber auch Personen, die die Landschaft mit der gleichen Begeisterung betrachten, die sie spürt.

Mir hat es großen Spaß gemacht, Kat Hill zu begleiten. Sie erzählt nicht nur von ihren Wanderungen, sondern auch von den Menschen, die sie begleiten und den Gesprächen, die sie führt. Jede der Bothys, über die sie schreibt, hat nicht nur ein Kapitel im Buch, sondern steht auch für einen Abschnitt in ihrem Leben. Jede Wanderung verändert den Menschen, der sie macht und das trifft auch auf die Autorin zu. Die Arbeit für das Buch dauert drei Jahre und am Ende ist sie an einem Platz in ihrem Leben, an dem sie sich am Anfang ihres Projekts nie gesehen hätte. Trotzdem ist sie dort glücklicher, als sie es früher war.

Kat Hill erzählt von etwas, das ich selbst erlebt habe und an das ich mich gerne erinnere. Aber auch ohne in einer Bothy geschlafen zu haben, ist ein besonderes Buch.

[Andy Weston · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hill has done a wealth of research for this book, and when relating the histories of the various bothies and links to literature the book is at its strongest.
Her own travel writing though does not appeal to me.

[Ella Porteous · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nice front cover

[Jessica]

Tapping out of this one just over halfway through. Just not what I expected; a bit repetitive, academic, and simply too much ruminating over exes for my liking!

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had just finished hiking The West Highland way only 2 or three hours before stepping into the bookstore in Fort William where I bought Bothy. I was already feeling nostalgic for something I had only just completed. I also had plans the following day to trek out to a bothy on Skye so I was in a mindset where I wanted something like this book and was fully prepared to love it. Unfortunately, I didn't. It was a bit of a slog and mostly the author just trying to wax poetic while rehashing the typical woes of society all the while complaining about the poor relationships with men that she has had. I enjoyed the bit about the Right to Roam and of course could see myself a bit in the nostalgia section but overall it just seemed like she shoehorned in countless talking points. I finished it, but only out of stubbornness.

[Chelsea Mourning · Rating 1 out of 5]

I do wish I’d just googled bothies and spared myself the endless list of snacks with a few huts thrown in. It didn’t help that I listened to the audio version and the reader used a sprightly girl guide tone throughout.

[Saskiasauce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bothies are fascinating places. We have visited several on trips through the highlands in Scotland. However, at some point, most has been said and the stories become a little repetitive. This might have been partly due to the narration of the audiobook.

[Simon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a well written book but I was expecting more about the UK’s remote places, when this is really more of an account of the writer getting over a string of personal relationships and professional uncertainties.

This is perfectly fine, but just not really the book I wanted to read.

[Liene · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was genuenly excited to read Bothy. The first 50 pages were fluent, engaging and interesting. The writing beautifuly captured bothies and their history, experiences, included authors adventures around bothies and within them.
Unfortunately after the strong beginning the book lost its focus. The bothies gradually became a secondary element, author drifted into long philosophical reflections of other topics. It slowed down the story and I found it hard to focus.

[Kirsty Finlay · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF - succeeded in making me yearn to be back in Scotland but overall a disappointment for what I feel could have been a really engaging ethnography. Found the writing overly philosophical/academic, sadly causing my interest to wane.

[Tricia Hepburn · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF.
I was really excited about this book but the style was too academic and existential for my liking. It read more like a textbook than stories of adventure and connection. Beautiful cover though.

[Lee Osborne · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was recently reviewed in the Mountain Bothies Association newsletter, and I was very keen to read it, especially as a friend spoke highly of it. It looked interesting, perhaps looking at bothies from a slightly different angle to other publications.

The two recent books that have garnered the most publicity have been The Scottish Bothy Bible and Scottish Bothy Walks, by Geoff Allen. They've been controversial among bothy users, as they've been blamed for increasing use of bothies, and increasing antisocial behaviour in them. I don't think it's a particularly fair criticism myself, as personally I think Instagram is far more of a problem. Anyway, there's other books out there, but this one is more reflective than others, without some of the macho exploits that don't really interest me.

While there's undoubtedly some good writing in here, I found the whole thing ultimately fell rather flat, with parts of the book seeming muddled and repetitive. I think the biggest problem is the book tries to be too many things at once - a travelogue, a biography, a history, academic, literary and campaigning - and it's a jack of all trades, master of none.

I have to be honest and say I struggled to warm to the author and her style. She wrote about her divorce, relationships and job issues at some length, but I found this excessively dull and quite self-pitying. There's also a lot about the climate crisis in here that doesn't feel like it's helpful, original or relevant, and it rather felt like being lectured by someone.

There's some good discussion about the history and culture of bothies, and some valuable thoughts on publicity, commercialisation and antisocial behaviour, all of which felt measured and thoughtful, but overall, I felt this was a book that struggled with a lack of purpose, and ultimately felt quite pompous and self-righteous. Shame, really.

[Neil M · Rating 3 out of 5]

At one point in Bothy, Kat Hill asks 'who didn't have a secret hideaway as a kid?', be it a tree house, a den in the garden, or a cubbyhole in your house. More to the point, who didn't want one? That's the appeal of bothies, discovering a quiet little spot free of distractions to allow time to decompress. Kat Hill captures those feelings well - enjoying the quiet time, feeling the excitement of finding the 'secret' bothies passed on by word of mouth rather than Google, and also of sharing them on occasion with friends and strangers alike.

The scenery is well described, and I found myself looking up many spots described as she made the various spots sound picturesque and interesting.

My only gripe was that I found this a little heavy - it's personal taste, I like a funny and light travelogue rather than a 'finding yourself' type, but it meant I found this slower going.

However, overall it was an enjoyable read.

[Alexandra Gregory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last month, I finished walking the West Highland Way, and one of the first questions I was asked when I returned was: “Did you stay in a bothy?”. I did not – but if I had read Kat’s book a little earlier, perhaps I would have felt brave enough to try!

To casual hikers and those uninitiated into their secrets, bothies may seem mysterious and opaquely elite places of shelter, off-limits to all but a higher ‘tier’ of walker. Yet in Bothy, Kat peels back the curtain to show us that this isn’t the case, and that historically, bothies (however this may be changing now!) have always been accessible to all – and how each is as compelling as the last.

Kat has poured hours of research into this book, and it shows in the eloquence and depth of her writing. Chapter-by-chapter, Kat takes us to the bothies she has visited, sharing her memories of these spaces, and painting a rich picture of each in its physical and historical landscape. She delves further into current philosophical considerations surrounding their use and political position.

Peppered throughout are fascinating extracts from bothy books (think: visitor books) spanning the decades, and occasionally, the centuries. These entries – which are sometimes only a sentence, or a drawing or a poem – range from the charming, to the humorous, to the poignant, and give Bothy a beating, human heart. Kat shares one particularly powerful entry, penned by a soldier who died in war before he could fulfil his heartfelt wish to one day return. I also adored entries written by solo – or pairs of – women bothiers, who were striking up into the hills in the early years of a century where I hadn’t expected to read about such freedom!

Bothy is not without it’s flaws. Occasionally, a quote Kat has cherry-picked to drop in (often from a notable figure or thinker) sits awkwardly, a little untethered or questionably relevant. I had also expected a stronger personal narrative thread to guide me through the book’s pages, but Bothy sits closer to the crossroads of social history and nature writing than it does to a traditional memoir.

“Stories have power, but whose stories we tell, and how, matters, especially now in a time of environmental crisis and social conflict.”

Much like a typical mountain ramble, it took me a couple of chapters to find my stride and sink into Bothy’s rhythm. Once in, all there was left to do was to lean in and enjoy the wild, wet and windswept journey … And to catalyse on all of the inspiration and confidence Kat has given me to plan my first bothy visit!

With thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an eArc of the book.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the passion that has gone into creating this book and the care the author shows for the people whose stories she is telling. It is a fabulous fusion of history, geography, nature, storytelling, travel combined with her personal memoir.
Even if you know nothing about Bothies, this book gives you an insight into their position as an agent of social good and a permanent fixture in the landscape. It is divided into 12 chapters with a prologue and epilogue and makes easy listening whilst walking, driving, cooking, travelling… the possibilities are endless. There isn’t a dull moment and each place she has visited is described in a broader historical context and includes the environmental and social changes that have occurred in the area. She has conducted thorough archival research to give meaning and purpose to each visitors reasons for escaping into the hills as well as her own story. She reflects on her childhood spent in nature and the important environmental issues of our time. I’d highly recommend the book to anyone who loves travel, walking, Scotland, history, birdwatching and nature. My favourite part was about the sheep who eat seaweed. This is just one of the unique stories you won’t find anywhere else. It has inspired me to return to hiking and one day I would love to visit the Bothy museum!

[Michael Butterworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had never heard of a Bothy before this book caught my eye at a local shop. Part travelogue, part memoir, Bothy explores the free primitive cabins used by hikers in rural Scotland and Wales.

A former professor, Hill is at her best exploring the history of bothys and the communities where they're found. Hill's detailed descriptions make the reader feel they too have found shelter in a Bothy, sleeping in a sleeping bag next to a stranger, soggy wool socks hung up to dry.

Hill uses her time in the Bothy, disconnected from technology, to reflect on failed relationships and her decision to leave an accomplished career in academia. One is moved by the vulnerability, but at times the reflections turn into hand-wringing over acts of leisure in a time of climate change. At one point Hill expresses guilt over using a car to travel to a trailhead.

Hill reflects on her lifestyle and posits "maybe it's just virtue-signaling from my position of privilege." For those more interested in the subject matter, it's hard not to agree.

What is perhaps most compelling are the chance encounters along the way. The individuals Hill shares a ferry ride with, meets on a hike, or awakes to find cooking breakfast.

Whether or not you also long to disconnect from modern life and find yourself in the Scottish countryside, there's probably something in Bothy for you.

[Emma Craddock · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book at Kendal Mountain Festival and was lucky enough to meet Kat when she signed my book for me. In the front of my book she wrote ‘enjoy your first bothy’ and the book has really inspired me to go and explore our mountain bothies. I really enjoyed the multi-layered writing in this book and how in each chapter the history of the bothy was discussed alongside big issues facing all of us today, including climate change and access rights. This is intertwined with a narrative of travelling to and being in a bothy and how that can be a space for healing, friendship and for adults to play. In a world which is getting increasingly screen bound and as temperatures rise, it is such an important message that we need to protect our wild places, our history and ensure we are giving ourselves space and time. The book put this message across really well and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is a walker, camper or who loves bothies. I can’t wait to try my first one this summer!

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

I give this a 3.75. I really appreciate that the writer has taken this up as a subject matter, I think it's an interesting subject. I enjoyed her descriptions of the scenery, they really transported me there. I preferred some chapters or as I thought of them, mini essays than others, I think this is because some chapters were more centred on what I had expected to read about, the bothy itself and the land use around it ie right to roam whereas others I felt had quite tenuous links to a musings about her relationship breakdowns or various wrongs in society. I agreed with everything she said but it felt a bit shoehorned in sometimes and made it a bit of a slog in places. I wasn't sure who she was writing the book for. Which, if it's for herself, is fine of course, just not what I thought it would be about...

[Vera · Rating 4 out of 5]

What is this book really about? It's difficult to say. Bothies form a vague structure – each chapter a trip to a different one – but I would struggle to sum it up. It's meditation. That's the best I can think of: as if the author wrote down each thought following the next as she treads. So it's not travel writing, not completely nature writing either. A strange mix of research and personal narrative, though the author's personal life stays somewhat at arm's length. It’s less of a connection to the author than seeing through her eyes, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. But if nothing else, it’s certainly a warm invitation to seek out a bothy, if you haven’t done so yet.

Full review: https://bookerthanyou.blogspot.com/20...

[Andrew Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book, the sort of writing that makes you want to grab your hiking boots and disappear for the weekend. Marketed as a sort of memoir but there isnt very much in here about the author, however you do find out about people using Bothys, the changing environment and how the upsurge in interest in outdoors effects the highlands of scotland. I enjoyed then chapter searching for a hidden, non MBA bothy, so much so that i had a quick look at google earth in the area Hill was describing in order to see if i could spot it. I couldnt. The extracts from the Bothy Books, a sort of Bothy visitors book, from across the years were also a welcome addition. Worth a read if you like the great outdoors. Netgalley ARC.

[Laura Syed · Rating 5 out of 5]

This an excellent book. It is deeply researched and informative yet easy to read and enjoyable. Even if you know nothing at all about bothies, the author has you reaching for your boots, map and compass wanting to visit them in a heartbeat. The cover is beautiful but the words inside are deeply meaningful, bringing to light important issues surrounding climate change, the need for shelter and escape into the wilderness. It creates a nostalgia for the simple life of the past, which could be lost yet there is a hope to return to it by walking in the footsteps of those behind us.

[Lynny Freeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful look into remote lesser known spaces. Having been to a bothy myself I felt I could imagine everyone of them and the energy of the space itself! The book also made me think of stories my uncle had told about his trips to the highlands and how the bothys were often a glorious sanctuary to shelter from the unpredictable weather. I loved the perspectives of different people visiting different bothys as it’s truly a unique experience for everyone.

[Martyna · Rating 3 out of 5]

liczyłam, że będzie to bardziej reportaż i rys historyczny małych chatek, które można znaleźć w Wielkiej Brytanii, a jest to bardziej osobisty esej i list do takich chatek i tego, jak pomogły autorce w życiu. podobało mi się, że autorka zastanawiała się nad etyką podróżowania, poruszyła temat katastrofy klimatycznej i romantyzowania przeszłości, ale przemyślenia te były dla mnie dość chaotyczne i gubiły się pod ilością opisów jej wycieczek.

[Allan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not just a book about bothies nor is it a walking guide. Kat writes about academia, history, depression, personal relationships, ecology and climate change as well as the bothies themselves. She describes the cathartic impact that being out and about in nature can produce, as she says “hope in nature”. Expertly referenced and comprehensive the book would benefit from more detailed maps and an index. A book to dip into.

[RunHikeBikeExplore · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't hate it. Interesting to hear about Kats' Bothy experiences, but I did find myself drifting off, disengaging as I was listening to it (audiobook on my dog walks) it was quite repetitive, and failed to hold my attention or excite me for adventure 'on a walk, went to a bothy, met people, didn't,'and again.

Sme interesting insights despite it not holding my attention fully.

[Andrew · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writer shows a very poor understanding of the world in which the bothy exists today, what left these signs of past communities standing lone in the, now, wilderness, paying lip service from time to time to history but making sure to both sides any argument she cares to confront.
The book should be called how colonialism helped me get over my divorce.

[saguaros]

DNF for now

I think this is a beautiful book. I’ve enjoyed some of the author’s thoughts and observations, but unfortunately I think it’s just not the subject/approach for me as I found myself quite bored with it. I am not discounting the possibility of coming back to it another time though.

[Tay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this. Not really a book about bothy’s (which I think is what many expect, including me) and instead memoir/philosophical reflections inspired by her trips to bothy’s. Very easy to read, moving and beautifully nuanced. Would recommend.