abandoned

Is it Will’s Bothy? Or Leysburnfoot?

I only ask because the bothy we used for our annual boys bothy adventure this year seems to have two names of equal standing. For instance, when I checked instagram for pictures of the bothy, I found nothing tagged Leysburnfoot but lots of pictures tagged as Will’s Bothy. But I checked the MBA website and…

05/01/2025

Kevin Johnston

Bothies, Kev’s Hill Walking Challenges, Microadventures, Old Buildings

abandoned, building, challenge kev outdoors, hungry media, railway, scotland, shielings, towers, trains, walking, Waverley line
When can I go back to St Kilda?

What do you do when you’ve been on that “Top of my Bucket List” adventure? A trip to the St Kilda archipelago has been at the top of my adventure wish list for years. My 4am alarm call on Friday last week fired the gun on my excitement for the day ahead, while also giving…

07/08/2023

Kevin Johnston

Film making, Kev’s Hill Walking Challenges, Microadventures, Nature at its Best, Old Buildings, Outdoor Swimming, Photos, Writing and Musings

abandoned, Boreray, challenge kev outdoors, Dun, hill walking, hills, Hirta, hungry media, open water swimming, sea, Soay, St Kilda, Stac an Armin, Stac Lee, village bay, walking
Grid Square Journeys no. 5 – NN 9931 (Montreal)

I’ve never been to Canada, but when I do I hope it’s as lovely as Montreal in Perthshire in the sun. Yes, that’s right, Montreal in Perthshire. It’s no metropolis but rather is an old croft near Harrietfield with the same name as the largest city in Quebec. And yet for such a lovely area,…

23/07/2023

Kevin Johnston

Grid Square Journeys, Kev’s Hill Walking Challenges, Microadventures, Nature at its Best, Old Buildings

abandoned, challenge kev outdoors, cottage, harrietfield, hills, hungry media, Montreal, ruins, scotland, walking
Seeking Sanctuary in A’ Chomraich

It was appropriate that while the country struggles to come to terms with the cost of living crisis, and the government tries its best to justify tax cuts for rich people at the same time, Paul and I decided to escape to Applecross for three days exploring in the wilds. The Gaelic for Applecross is…

15/10/2022

Kevin Johnston

Bothies, Caves, Kev’s Hill Walking Challenges, Microadventures, Old Buildings, Photos

abandoned, Applecross, bothy, buildings, cave, challenge kev outdoors, coastal, hill walking, hills, hungry media, loch, Na h-uamhagan, ruined, ruins, scotland, sea, walking
Foulbog to Dryfehead

“Foulbog” The name of the rural house to my right as I drove over the line separating the Scottish Borders from Dumfries and Galloway which made me giggle. On a par with “Cauldhame”, another building moniker I’ve seen on a walk which would surely make you re-think whether it was the best place to live…

05/04/2022

Kevin Johnston

Bothies, Coronavirus, Kev’s Hill Walking Challenges, Microadventures, Old Buildings, Photos, Southern Upland Way

abandoned, bothy, challenge kev outdoors, Dryfehead, eskdalemuir, hill walking, hills, hungry media, Moffat, scotland, walking, wild, wood
Castle Law Hill Fort

The doors are closed and locked on adventures far from home once more as coronavirus takes hold again. So close to home is the default option when scouring maps for places to explore. I’d seen the Castle Law hill fort from afar loads of times, often from the Dunning to Bridge of Earn road in…

23/01/2021

Kevin Johnston

Coronavirus, Geocaching, Kev’s Hill Walking Challenges, Microadventures, Old Buildings

abandoned, challenge kev outdoors, Geocaching, hills, hungry media, snow, walking
Grid Square Journeys no. 3 – NN 7941 (Meall a’ Choire Chreagaich and a Swim!)

For the third of my Grid Square Journeys, I needed to do some tweaking. I’ve used the same number of steps since I was first taught to navigate properly by Rich. But either old age or maybe too many injuries has meant my stride has started to change. The last two squares has seen me…

07/08/2020

Kevin Johnston

Coronavirus, Grid Square Journeys, Kev’s Hill Walking Challenges, Old Buildings, Outdoor Swimming, Writing and Musings

abandoned, challenge kev outdoors, Grid Square Journeys, hills, hungry media, map compass, meall a’ choire chreagaich, navigation, ruins, scotland, swimming, walking, waterfall, wild
History v Progress?

I love a bridge. And this walk was full of bridges, large and small. Some of historical note (as in you can find info on the internet), others not…… Starting with this beauty. My wander started in Tomatin, just under the Findhorn Viaduct. And I was aiming for Boat of Garten, following one of General…

21/04/2019

Kevin Johnston

Kev’s Hill Walking Challenges, Old Buildings, Writing and Musings

abandoned, Boat of Garten, challenge kev outdoors, general wade, hills, hungry media, mountain, Ortunan, scotland, scottish, Sluggan bridge, tomatin, walking