Mountain Days & Bothy Nights

by Dave Brown, Ian Mitchell

A classic of mountain writing and still in demand over ten years after its first publication, this book takes you to the little places of big importance along one mountain-climber's trail. Fishgut Mac, Desperate Dan, Stumpy and the Big Yin stalk hill and pub, escaping from gamekeepers, staying awake sleeping in bothies (Scottish mountain cabins). Ideal for nostalgic climbers, this book is by two well-known experts who write in an easy philosophical style. A volume that will interest anyone who likes the outdoors and appreciates communal living in the elements.

Genres: Mountaineering, Nonfiction, Travel, Scotland

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a bit odd that the copy I have just read is credited to Dave Brown and Ian Mitchell. Did the fall out in a bothy? I enjoyed this book very much and may have even read it many years ago. The tales of epic expeditions were fascinating, especially those set before the days of car ownership. The comparison is drawn with Borthwick's "Always a little further" written before WW2 were also of interest. There no doubt knowledge, attitudes and interests have moved on but let's hope the bothying tradition still lives on. My own bothying experiences started not long after the events described in the book and I have met some of the characters mentioned such as Jock Nimlin and WH Murray. Climbers on those days were made of tough stuff and this book is an entertaining and important record.

[Livie · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Mountain days and bothy nights" is a charming story of 20th century Scottish Mountaineering. While it's set in the Scottish Highlands, the real story is that of the people and the adventures they shared. Through humour and a broad sense of warmth, it felt as though the reader was invited to share the bothy on a cold winter's night. Leaving with a deeper appreciation for the culture and camaraderie which grew around the mountains.

Despite how much mountain culture has changed in recent years — the Secret Howff is hardly secret anymore — Mountain Days and Bothy Nights offers a snapshot of early Scottish mountaineering while reminding us that the sense of companionship and escape it describes is still deeply recognisable today.