Geoff Allan navigates you across burns and bogs, taking you to Viking longhouses, island hideaways and highland homesteads. I did have a chuckle that in ‘traditional old style secretism’ noone seemed to publicise the release. Follow in Phoebe’s footsteps as she shares hard-won, expert advice on how best to make use of these ‘stone tents’, including packing lists, bothy etiquette, best walking routes in, local legends and more.

In addition, each has a picture of the inside and outside and a copy of notes left by the author for each visit. A bothy was originally farm accommodation for itinerant workers; now a bothy is an open shelter usually in a remote location where travellers might have need of four walls and a roof. Real pity that encouraging use of deadwood is within the text rather than a statement stating not to. At the bothy there’s a chart of whales and sea mammals you might spot from the window – dolphins usually, but minke whales, orcas and even basking sharks have been spied from The Lookout. Hidden away in the hills and mountains of England, Scotland and Wales – for years known only to a lucky few – is a network of huts, cottages and shelters.This book is everything the bothy lover could want or need, beautifully produced and enormously practical. This detailed and beautifully photographed publishing guides you on a wild adventure through Scotland's landscapes to discover a network of bothy cabins and mountain huts that remain free to stay in. Action is subordinate to suspense and the burgeoning dread as everyone anticipates the outcome when the inevitable confrontation occurs. The Scottish bothy bible is the first ever complete guide book to Scotland’s bothies, featuring full details on over 100 MBA bothies and more.

The excerpts from the author's own bothy book entries provide a nice insight to the author's mind as she travels from bothy to bothy. Many are ex-miner cottages and have a historic story to tell and many are in places with fantastic views.Bothies are mostly situated in remote countryside and you must ensure that you are able to correctly use a map and compass before setting out. This first ever complete guide to the Scottish bothies reveals the country s unique and often hidden network of bothy cabins and mountain huts. At no point in the book do they indicate if they have ever made any practical or financial contribution to the upkeep of bothys. With full maps and detailed information on the locations and approach routes – by canoe, foot and bicycle – plus a forward by legendary quadruple amputee mountaineer Jamie Andrew. The format is a good one, with each bothy having a main piece of text complemented by bite-sized snippets and information panels.

What I really like is the author gives honest accounts of the places, if one is a bit run down, you know about it before you go so you’re not expecting 5* luxury at the end of your walk. We also have to manage the association and this includes insurance, bookkeeping services, producing the annual report and other governance costs, such as fair elections and hiring venues for open meetings. It’s also worth nothing that even when bothies do re-open, it’s worth carrying a tent anyway in case the bothy is full. Journey into some of the wildest and remotest spots of the UK and you will be amazed at what you will find – old, empty houses left open for you to use… and at no charge? Though of course, like many people, I'm too busy with a work and family life and will probably never experience a single night in a bothy, but of course, I don't have to really because Phoebe cast a bothy spell in my mind with her writing style.It is also a very subtle exploration of grief, betrayal, love and loyalty, a thriller with real depth … Shovels, frost bite, guns, gangs, and cracked pipes all feature in this clever ensemble piece. She is also Sleep Storyteller-in-Residence at Calm where her stories have been listened to over 15 million times and been narrated by Stephen Fry, Joanna Lumley, Jerome Flynn, Bindi Irwin and Danai Gurira to name a few. Scattered across Scotland’s most beautiful landscapes, these evocative abandoned crofts and farmsteads are free to stay in and offer a chance to experience the ultimate in wild adventure living. Bothies are unregulated spaces and you should always make your own risk assessment before deciding to visit. Probably a step too far, I’m assuming a guidebook produced by the MBA would lead to overuse and sadly misuse especially when you take into account the incidents over the last year at Corrour and Hutchinson.

Perhaps there's a sense in the modern world that a system set up to provide visitors with free accommodation in some of the most remote corners of Scotland is simply too good to be true?

Well written, stunning pictures, and lots of good information and tips on not only the bothies themselves but also what to bring/pack for your journey which I found extremely useful. There’s something special about the Isle of Skye – the constant sea views, the layer upon layer of volcanic rock scoured into other-worldly shapes and towers. Some believe it was a great idea and speak highly of it, however others claim that it should never have been published.