Letter to the Mountain Bothies Association
POTENTIAL NEW BUILD BOTHIES

Dave Windle

I include a letter written to the Chairman of the Mountain Bothies Association. It is self-explanatory.

Dear Simon,
I am writing on behalf of the North East Mountain Trust (NEMT). You may well know that NEMT is a voluntary body, based in the Grampian area, which represents the interests of hill-goers and those who enjoy visiting wild land. NEMT membership, comprising twelve hillwalking and climbing clubs along with individual members, totals around 1000 people. While NEMT has a particular focus on the Grampian area, it maintains an interest on behalf of its members across the whole of Scotland. You are also probably aware that NEMT has a very long standing and close relationship with MBA. MBA is an Organisational Member of NEMT and two representatives of MBA attend meetings of NEMTs management Council. In addition, a number of our members are also MBA members in an individual capacity.

We understand that there are proposals being discussed by yourselves to extend MBA's remit to include new build shelters. NEMT's Council discussed this at our meeting on 30th May and I have been asked to relay our views to you.

While there are a very small number of examples of bothies being replaced, this proposal seems to us to be a major departure from the long standing traditions of the MBA and NEMT is strongly opposed to it. Our reasons are as follows:

• As you know, the amount of land which can be called 'wild' has reduced very significantly indeed over the past fifteen years and NEMT is determined to try to halt the tide. To that end, it continues to work with like-minded organisations to protect such landscapes from human artefacts which inevitably lessen the feeling of remoteness and add to the 'urbanisation' of wild land. There is the attendant risk that new build bothies will lead to new tracks or is used as an excuse for the construction of new tracks.
• We think that new build is of a totally different order to renovating or maintaining existing buildings which would be there, whether or not the MBA takes them over. Indeed, a renovated building is more visually attractive than a collapsing or boarded up one.
• We also think that the proposal represents 'mission creep'. MBA has an enviable reputation built on a particular focus and we think that the organisation should concentrate on what it does well; we think it should not be diverted into other areas or form alliances with groups which might favour more building in wild areas but which do not share the traditions of protecting the environment.

I would be grateful if you could bring NEMT's concerns to the attention of MBA's management committee.

Our views have been acknowledged, but I don't get a warm feeling.

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