What did the MBA expect by publishing the locations of all the bothies they maintain on the internet? It was only a matter of time before that informationgot into the hands of idiots who don't know how to control a fire.

It was an accident, it could have happened to anyone ... sometimes you don't have to be an idiot to have an accident!

I would like to think it was an accident but the last time I passed there were several people evidently living there. Plenty of empty cans and rubbish about with little chance of getting shelter had it been needed.

Accident?

Yeah!

There's accidents and then there's accidents. Maintaining a fire isn't rocket science, but then the last time I was in GDL the fireplace was falling to bits like many of the other MBA bothies I have visited.

The MBA has lost its way. Publishing location data of every bothy it maintains was highly irresponsible.

The culprits will fit into one of two stereotypes:

(1) The Buckfast drinking NED, or...

(2) The clueless, midddle-class, Outdoor Knobber - the type that one often sees wandering the glens with that holier-than-thou attitude and no respect for anything of value.

Both these stereotypes, whilst seemingly appearing very different, have one thing in common: they leave all their rubbish lying around and don't know how to light, maintain or extinguish a fire on their departure.

No serious or responsible bothier would have caused this.

You don't have to be an idiot to have an accident, but it sure as hell helps, and I dare say that had they been a bit more vigilant, the extent of the damage could have been reduced or avoided altogether.

It was sad to have visited the bothy today and seen it burnt out, but it was a result of a gas cannister leaking and showering somebody with flames and setting him and his gear on fire, so it could have resulted in a fatality instead of just a burnt out bothy.

With regard to "idiots" this bothy was not too far from the road and very easy to reach, always a concern that these ones will be visited by "none-outdoor" types just looking for somewhere to party...

I would've thrown my body onto the fire to save the bothy, but that's the kind of geezer I am.

A little charred human remains can be swept up and washed away nae bor. That bothy is ruined for good now.

People. Here's a lesson to you: ditch the freaking gas cannisters and invest in a brass Optimus/Primus No. 96 paraffin stove. Paraffin is way more safer to handle than compressed gas, and a hell of a lot cheaper. It might look scary when it goes a bit screwy, but a damp cloth sorts most flame-outs quite quickly.

RIP GDL!

A timely reminder to watch out for stoves. Gas stoves have a certain notoriety, quite well deserved.

Yes we could do with a lot less advertising of bothies. This used to be a quiet corner, but was not big secret. In recent years it has become very popular, especially with those out for a bevvy (not necessarily neds). Unfortunately it is not easy to get folk to be responsible on the net.

It is good news that no one appears to be hurt.

Someone was killed by a fire once in this area.

Some photos of the bothy as i found it today http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a8/scallopboy/GDL_fire/

I reckon the place can be reroofed and once again be an open shelter. Anyone interested in helping, please keep and eye on the Mountain Bothies Association website for details

i was there 1 week ago with some young people from Glasgow. taught them about bothies, fires, bothy code, rubbish etc. they loved it. every single one of them within 10 mins of hearing about this have texted back and are gutted about it. if their is room for a rebuild i know ten labourers willing to help.

most of these guys arent outdoor types and arent par of the buckie brigade. remember folks we all had to start somewhere.

speedy recovery to the person and hope their injuries are not serious

laurie

Irvine