In reply to Craig McLaren:
> Hopefully the DofE mobs will keep away
It will be unlikely that DofE groups will use the bothy for a number of reasons see the following text from the DofE website below for the reasons why:
"A bothy is an open shelter that can provide protection in bad weather and during emergencies. Bothies open to the public are run by the MBA in Scotland, Wales and Northern England, these are open for anyone to use, and are not bookable. There are also closed bothies which are managed directly by landowners and not open to the public – anyone wanting to use one of these must seek permission from the landowner, conditions of use will vary, and whether this is appropriate must be considered on a case by case basis.
For MBA bothies the bothy code is clear that groups of 6 or more or commercial groups must not use a bothy. Anyone using an MBA bothy must be aware that there could be other users wanting to use the bothy on the same night, and therefore there may not be enough space for everyone. Therefore teams can never rely on using Bothies. Leaders must also consider their safeguarding policy as unknown adults may arrive at any time. For these reasons, most DofE teams will be prohibited from using MBA bothies for accommodation.
It will usually be more appropriate for DofE teams to use MBA bothies for breaks during the day, and as potential emergency shelters. You can find information about bothies and a suggested session plan to teach teams about using them here. Any teams planning to visit an MBA bothy on their expedition must check the MBA website for any closures or restrictions on use. For teams interested in bothies, planning a route around visiting bothies and submitting reports about their condition to the MBA makes a great expedition aim."
