bothy

Third Time Lucky

We were going to the back of beyond. Now those are not my words, but the words of a descendent of the last resident of Loch Glencoul bothy. They explain in an info pack to be found at the bothy that “coul” in the bothy name comes from the Gaelic word “cul”, meaning back, and…

24/07/2025

Kevin Johnston

Bothies, Camping, Canoeing, Nature at its Best, Outdoor Swimming

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Storm Babet’s Bothy

A photo of my grandad can still be found on the wall in the restaurant area of the Cross Keys Hotel in Ettrick Bridge. What he is doing in the picture I can’t quite remember as I saw the picture about 12 years ago on a quick stop through the village. The Ettrick Valley was…

23/10/2023

Kevin Johnston

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

adventure, bothy, challenge kev outdoors, Ettrick, hill walking, hills, hungry media, over Phawhope, scotland, walking, wood
Loch Con and the Field of the Flat Stones

With its single track roads and remote spaces, I’ve always been a fan of Highland Perthshire. So when by a total fluke I found an article online about Loch Con, it’s bothy and the walk in, I immediately added it to my ever-growing wish list of places to visit and waited for the ideal opportunity.…

05/06/2023

Kevin Johnston

Bothies, Camping, Kev’s Hill Walking Challenges, Microadventures, Old Buildings, Outdoor Swimming

bothy, Camping, challenge kev outdoors, con, highland Perthshire, hill walking, hills, hungry media, loch, Outdoor Swimming, scotland, walking, wood
New Year Bothy Therapy

Easter Earshaig car park to Brattleburn bothy is 6.7km, walking along part of the Southern Upland Way, according to my calculations using OS maps. After all the snow and rain over the last week, I was wondering how many of those kms would be on boggy paths and fields. Dave and I had decided at…

03/01/2023

Kevin Johnston

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

bothy, brattleburn, challenge kev outdoors, cottage, hill walking, hills, hungry media, scotland, Southern Upland Way, 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
Grid Square Journeys no. 4 – NN 7351 (Coire Pheiginn)

It’s been a while since I journeyed around a grid square, checking if my map and compass knowledge are still in a vague working order. So with a day to amble I had a think about where I wanted to go. And with fuel prices (and all other prices) going northwards of £1.80 for a…

28/05/2022

Kevin Johnston

Bothies, Coronavirus, Food, Grid Square Journeys, Kev’s Hill Walking Challenges, Microadventures, Old Buildings

Bothies, bothy, challenge kev outdoors, Coire Pheiginn, Grid Square Journeys, hill walking, hills, hungry media, Keltneyburn, scotland, 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
The Rugged Country of Coire Garbhlach

According to the LearnGaelic dictionary, Garbhlach apparently means rugged country. And this was where I was heading for a bluebird weekend with some of the boys, a roam around the rough corrie and the wider expanse of Glen Feshie, one of my favourite glens. Coming from different parts of the country, we all converged on…

23/03/2022

Kevin Johnston

Bothies, Camping, Coronavirus, Kev’s Hill Walking Challenges, Microadventures, Old Buildings, Photos, Writing and Musings

adventure, bothy, Camping, challenge kev outdoors, Coronavirus, hill walking, hills, hungry media, mountains, scotland, scottish, snow, walking, wild