Thanks for watching everyone! Would you stay overnight in a bothy like this? Don't forget you can use the code RUTH15 to get £15 off HOVERAir X1: bit.ly/4bKECIk (Valid until April 30th)
I'm a Londoner so I'd be totally freaking out at the isolation and fear of deranged locals. Also, I noticed you said there was a saw, but no mention of an axe which I feel sure the bothy would normally be equipped with. What happened to the axe Ruth? Hmm...
You have every right to feel scared. You are a braver woman than I staying in a remote cabin that you can not lock. I think I would bar the door by putting a table against it. I'd also carry a knife and some mace.
I stayed in one in the 90s with a friend. A couple of hikers arrived, then three birdwatchers. We all got drunk on Glayva and cheap whisky and sang songs while we watched the sun set. Then we all fell asleep in one big pile. In the morning we all went our separate ways, and it’s one of my best memories.
@@patrickjoseph-q4k LOL, no. We were all female except one of the birdwatchers, and he was the first to pass into a whisky coma. 😂 The other two birdwatchers were his wife and daughter, so zero shenanigans of that sort were had.
People need to know that you need to identify a place & dig a little hole before it gets dark, otherwise people end up going to the toilet near the bothy because it is too dark to do much else. Plan ahead & create your toilet spot when you arrive. Make sure you have a torch so you can find your prepared spot. In the morning check that all is covered up with earth. No-one should be able to see anything except freshly turned earth.
I met a bloke from Germany in a bothy in Scotland. He was a prisoner of war and had a war pension from Germany and a UK pension,. He told me all about his life and love of Scotland since he was a POW. I was being eaten alive by midges and he went into the forest and came back with a shrub that kept them away. He also gave me advice that taking garlic capsules is a good anti midge repelent.
I would just advise being cautious if you are on your own, a few years ago, I was in the Army and walking/jogging the West Highland Way while on leave, I had stayed a bit too long at a Hotel Bar along the banks of Loch Lomond and ended up reaching a Bothy towards the Northern end of Loch Lomond in the dark, I entered the Bothy to find two young ladies looking extremely scared huddled together and an older guy, I could feel the tension between them and the relief of the young ladies, the guy was very weird, very quiet, as soon as he went outside the ladies told me he had been telling them they would sleep close together on the raised part of the bothy and they were really scared, it was in the late 90's before mobile phones, I made sure they were together on the raised platform with me on the other side of them, when he came back in and tried telling us he was supposed to be on the raised platform, I told him to put his sleeping bag down by the fireplace, a very strange guy, I stayed awake most of the night and could tell he was awake also, by first light he had packed and disappeared! I stayed with the ladies for the next day to make sure he wasn't waiting along the Walk somewhere for them. 99.99% of trekkers are decent people, but just be very careful especially if you are on your own out there.
Indeed, the few are the ones one must always be on the lookout for, but the best part about being in a remote place is if one needs to play hero one can do it and no one will ever know the tale sure years later fragments may arise but that is all is such a place as this young lady has stayed in.
Having someone stand outside of a window and staring at you is one of my worst fears for some reason. I'd be scared shitless in such place, you are so brave 😭
Hi Ruth, My name is Damien. I've camped alone in many places in the US and Canada., encountering bears, snakes, and other critters. Sometimes I've been scared, but mostly not. I'm 78 now and my camping adventures are behind me but I'm enjoying reading about yours. Good luck and happy adventuring. Be safe, be well, have fun.❤
I'm around 50 and like camping ( sometimes) . The animal sounds at night disturb the sleep, but nothing can beat the peacefulness and calmness of the night. I was a much more frightened and anxious camper during my early 20's, but life forced me to embrace everything that comes my way.
@@omtoolika Like I said, I would never attempt this, I'd be terrified. However, I can't help but admire her efforts. She's clearly self sufficient and 'backed herself'.
@@ruthaisling I'm what I guess you can call a "sensitive" to those kinds of things, I felt anxiety the whole time while watching and I could also feel your anxiety through the screen, I knew there was something up in that whole area since you were hiking, I'm glad you're ok!
If only my old legs were not bent and sore, I'd be there in a frenzy! I was brought up in a wee glen in the West Highlands, and wandered the hills alone, being an only child with no other children nearby! The distance to your bothy, and it being dark at 7pm., I'd have no worries of someone breaking in at all! I lived in the age where doors were never locked, and the land around was filled with wildlife and our few animals who were out to graze. I came south to work, and hated the cities, so retired back here again. The place is full of summer lets, and people retiring from England, so it is not so easy to leave doors unlocked anymore! I'm in my 70's now and arthritis cripples me, but hope that you young ones do more walking and using wee bothies on my behalf, bringing my memories back again! Thankyou so much, you've made an old woman very happy!
are you saying english elderly are thieves, in england ppl never locked there doors some still dont i dont all the time thives can come in all types of ppl not just english
The closest I ever got to staying in Scotland like that was sleeping in a forest in a car in my teens many, many years ago. The deer do frighten the life out of you with their coughing and the rustling in the undergrowth caused by who knows what. At nearly eighty, too old to now try a bothy so I am an armchair adventurer enjoying your travels.
Foxes are even worse. I camped in the lakes with a group of friends when I was a teen and we heard one screaming in the woods in the middle of the night. We had no idea foxes made that noise. We literally thought a woman was being attacked. We didn't know what to do as it was pitch dark and we thought we'd lose the tent if we started wandering around looking for her.
I saw another video on the same Bothy - this chap was hearing footsteps all night in the adjoining room and all sorts happening through the night - so you got off lightly:) But still brave.
I have stayed in a few bothies in Scotland but never alone in fact I have never hiked alone. Adventures are 10 times better with friends. When it is completely dark outside you can reduce your anxiety but being completely dark inside too. The noises you were hearing was the heat from your fireplace expanding the chimney and the roof where the chimney passes through. The scariest thing in the wilderness is your vivid imagination.
@@dye5915 I never said I was "too scared to hike alone", I just said I have never hiked alone. A shared experience us so much better than playing with yourself.
Given the population density of these areas, I doubt even that psychopaths fancy lingering about, for fear of encountering scary hikers and other such ne'er-do-wells! 😂
what i really liked about this video is that when i almost went to google to find out what a bothy is, she explained what it is. then i wondered if she is alone and walking then who takes her drone shots, then she talks about the drone. Edit: aight, I watched the entire video now and oh my lord, this is my new favorite solo hiking video on the internet. I love your personality, I loved the mood of the video, I loved everything. My favorite part was you making tea cause of course even if it is a sort of a wilderness survival video but tea is always primary. I dont know what else to say but this video was amazing. I loved every bit of it.
Just a note....if you leave lights on (candles) inside at night, anyone outside can see you perfectly, like a fishbowl, but you wont see anything outside through the window. If you douse the lights inside, once you get your night vision after about 15 minutes, you will see clearly outside and anyone outside will not see you very well. Youre safer to douse the lights and see whats outside if youre worried about people coming.
I know this from going into the woods - without a light. I do not go far, but anyway. When I was younger, I was always scared. But since Covid times I got to know the woods and what lives there - is mostly harmless in our area.
Also, if you light things like tea lights from a longer candle (or a twig), it's easier, less risk of burning yourself, and it saves fuel in your flame source.
I'm in love with the highlands, my favourite place on this earth. But I absolutely agree, it feels haunted. No matter where I went, what random bit of the forrest, or road track. Stand there in silence for a little while, and it feels like you're not alone.
Personal opinion but I feel this is the true purpose of RUclips - to share experiences like this. To educate, to demonstrate something different. I have stayed overnight in the woods and a cemetery on numerous occasions & can honestly say, hand on heart, they were the most peaceful, joyful experiences of my life. Thank you for sharing this with us. Please stay safe always.
@panterking916 I totally agree! That’s why we share our family adventures here in the Scottish highlands to inspire others to do something different and take adventures! We recently shared a video of our own family bothy trip which was epic!
Ruth -- On the question of doing a number 2..... Go well away from the mountain stream so you don't contaminate the water, eg, in the forest,. Dig to 45 cm, do your business; wipe your bum. Backfill. Wash hands with damp leaves or sphagnum moss. Then wash hands in stream. Keep a stout stick near you so you can respond if your position is compromised whilst on "duty."
I'm Scottish and I've been bothying for 20+ years. Fear is not an option. I've been to bothies on my own, met complete strangers and had a good nights blether around the fire. Bothy etiquette dictates there's always room for one more.
No thanks !!!!!!!!! My favorite traveling partner is my sister but we either get a 2 bedroom suite or separate rooms. I need my own private space ( even tho we shared a room growing up ). The thought of sharing the same space with strangers ( without a bathroom ) is an absolute NO GO for me. But I did enjoy this video cause 100 % I will never go there myself so I appreciated that she did it for me.
Dear Ruth, what a blessing it must be to have Scotland as your home country!!! Scotland and it's islands are sooooooooooooooo stunning; it is beyond believe! I live in the most flat country someone can think of: The Netherlands (Hellevoetsluis (near Rotterdam)). But geologically speaking, there is luckily a very nice coincidence: Scotland is placed not too far away from Holland! I like to watch your videos and today i've learned about Bothies (never heard of before). Please show us more of your absolutely stunning home country, because Scotland deserves too be seen!!! Lovely greetings from The Netherlands.
Ive met many Dutch people hiking off the beaten track going back to the 80s. They seemed well ahead of us in knowledge of cross country Highland and Islands routes, and where the bothies were before the MBA went public with their location.
I have scottish and Irish decendants in my blood line, and for some reason Scotland is so very endearing to me. Would love to experience Scotland one day! All the way from South Africa.
I stayed in an old soldier’s fort in the dakotas once…everyone left me alone there…I was so freaked out…I couldn’t tune a clear station on the radio and the soldier’s old photograph staring at me didn’t help…it was an uncomfortable night with me huddled under the covers until morning…I didn’t know Jesus then…So I didn’t know I could pray for peace and comfort and all bad things to be gone in His name ❤
Memories of years ago, 1961, I was a 16-year-old in the navy and expedition training in the Scottish mountains. We found a bothy but convinced ourselves it was haunted, so we stayed in our small tents. The bothy was much smaller than this one and a stream/river was flowing further down the mountain, we caught some salmon there and made a campfire and cooked the salmon outside the bothy. A lovely experience and your adventure reminded me of those days, so thank you for the memories I am glad you had a safe experience to look back on too.
I stayed in this Bothy with a couple of mates. Some strange things happened that night. We kept hearing noises outside, as though people were outside waiting to come in. My mate went to the door, just to tell them to come in(in case they maybe didn't want come in because we were there), but there was no one there. We had a look around the Bothy, incase they'd maybe decided to pitch a tent round the back, but there was nothing. We settled down, made some food, and we heard the door latch. Thinking it was someone coming in, we readied ourselves to greet them, but no one came in. I got up to check the other room, but no one was there. Things like that happened all night. We got into our sleeping bags and fell asleep. When we wakened up though, our rucksacks were lined up against the room door, and our clothes had all been folded up and placed in neat piles on the table. Our mugs were turned upside down, and placed in front of the piles of clothes, and out cooking stove was disassembled and laid out neatly in front of the mugs. There's no way it was someone else, as, our rucksacks were blocking the doorway. A very strange night and odd morning.
@@momohead35 I scrolled through, and found the other comment...Woah!! That's eerily similar to what happened to us. That's absolutely mental, by the way. They slept in the other room. We slept in the room where all of this happened. So whatever it was, was in the room with us.
That sounds a very strange experience. I heard the strange noises too, but not the door latch. I knew I would never be able to sleep hearing them so that's why I put in the ear plugs. It was either that or going outside and walking back in the dark.....
Have you seen Cecilia Blomdahl's channel from Svalbard in northern Norway? Whenever she leaves her home to stay in a remote cabin she has to bring a rifle to guard against polar bears. When I was a boy my father and grandfather used to take me trout fishing in our home state of Maine. We'd paddle Gramp's old wooden canoe three miles upstream to an old logging cabin, which was always kept unlocked. An American counterpart of a bothy!
I watch Cecilia too. She makes it clear that it is the law to carry a rifle in Svalbard when outside the town, to protect against polar bears but there are very clear instructions on when it can be fired. I.e. to warn the polar bear away rather than shoot it.
When it comes to bringing food to a bothy you might consider MREs: Meals Ready to Eat. These are the field rations used by the American military. Unoficially they are called "Meals rejected by Ethiopians:"
Love it. Critters are nocturnal thus the noises that you can't see but imagine to be this or that. The fire is your friend & company. Well done. Great adventure. Thanks for sharing.
Ruth, you know what you could have done, is put that wire mesh against the door, then if anyone opened the door they would have knocked it over. Alarm system. Yes, to answer your question, I suffer with anxiety when I have to go to a place I have not been too. The bravery award goes to Ruth. Excellent video. What is the next bravery thing you're going to do? ❤👍🤛
Ruth. I think i may have stated this before, but i not sure. You are an Ambassador for your beautiful Scotland. You’re so empathetic when speaking about your journey and the places you visit. I always look forward to your videos, because they cheer me up. ❤🫶🏴🏴
The door on the fire should be left open for warmth and closed if you’re cooking - that’s why the top is metal so that you can boil water etc. You should take a dog with you who would hear any movement outside.
My poor grandmother used to stay in one years ago when she was spud picking in the farms working for farmers and then at night she would stay in one off this places god love her she's recently passed
Many years ago I was a civilian driver for the army. They had an old wooden school teachers' house on the moors in Northumberland. It was called the deer hut, as it had been used for culling deer. the army would rent it out for £2 per night to soldiers and civilian workers and their families. It had no electricity and an earth toilet. I absolutely loved going there. It was that remote you couldn't even get a radio signal. I could have happily lived there permanently. I hated going home back to the so-called civilised way of life.
@@mayankmuley1282 I am a 77-year-old male and am now in very poor health. I hate these times of greed and selfishness. We have gained a lot in the way of technology but we have lost many of the simpler pleasures we once had. I long to return to my childhood and the uncomplicated life I enjoyed. Children today are exposed to violent and explicit material on television and in the media, they don't get the chance. to enjoy their childhood as I did. I would hate to be born into these times, there is so much competition between children now. Who has the best phone, and who wears the most stylish clothes. I went to school with holes in my shoes and hand-me-down clothes, but nobody cared what you looked like, or if your father had a good job. They saw you as a friend.
This is definitely not something i would ever do (unless i had no choice). Being out in the middle of nowhere, in a house where the front door is literally open to anyone and everyone. The chance that there might already be people there and not knowing exactly who they were, or (as you said) not knowing if there was someone outside the window watching you. As for putting ear plugs in so you couldn't hear the noises, this would just freak me out even more. If someone was coming into the house i'd want to hear it, not just wake up to them (or it!) right in my face! I can see this being ideal subject matter for a really scary horror film. All i can say is, you are BRAVE!
If i arrived at a bothy and someone was already there, I'd prefer they didn't have ear plugs in so they would know I'd arrived and there could be some mutual acknowledgement
I'm an American who loves to go hiking. I've never heard of a bothy and came across your video. You did a fantastic job of explaining the experience and history of this. If I get to Scotland I must try it. Thanks again for an amazing video!
Im in the US but my Grandparents immigrated from Scotland when my father was very young. I would ex pat back to Scotland in a Heartbeat and join the bothy volunteers and live out the rest of my days fixing those gorgeous little places up. I am a historical carpenter here in the states, but given the age of the states I would just be a regular carpenter in Scotland....lol! Ive been back to visit family several times and my wife has family in Scotland as well. We met at a big Scottish festival in North Carolina. You make me homesick, Cheers!
I camped during my early 20's and stayed in an isolated cabin and couldn't sleep the whole night properly as I felt ver vulnerable. Now, that im 50, I wouldnt mind doing it again as I feel more confident now.
Doing a part of the southern upland way in October 2024, I had planned a night in this bothy. Arriving at my destination in the middle of the afternoon, I entered the bothy and there I saw: in the bedroom, tissues on the floor as well as a box of medicines, large supplies of water in the large room and a stock of food for several weeks in the kitchen. Not to mention the smell of tobacco and dirt inside and the jacket hanging on the wall. I didn't hesitate for long before leaving, as it looked like someone had settled in for the long haul. I've never walked so fast in my entire journey, covering an extra 11km to land with my tent on the edge of another lake. You never know who you're dealing with and I was, like you, really alone on long stretches of road.
Getting to your destination in a lonely place near nighttime is always unsettling. Arriving with many hours of day light left before dark, gives you time to get settled in and feel like this is your space. Thanks for sharing your journey, Ruth. ❤
Obviously you don't understand the Scottish people and our way of life peaceful till you get on our wrong side then your arse is butter 😅if you don't understand rather visit London .
I get that eerie feeling just watching. I can never and will never hike alone in the middle of no where and stay in a creepy place I get scare easily. No amount of money will i stay in that place nor hike there. I'm afraid of being alone especially in the dark. Kudos to you!
I know myself and no way would I have been able to stay there alone. I can camp in the forest by myself where I know that no one knows I'm there. But I would feel so vulnerable in a bothy alone where some crazy dude might be lurking nearby, peering in the windows. NO WAY. I felt your terror in my own belly just from watching the video. That said I would love to have the experience of walking up to one of these bothys (bothies?) and finding a group of lovely, fun, hikers already there, sharing drink and music and fire before snoring the night away next to each other in communal stranger bliss.
Could you imagine you staying in the bothy snd decide to read that guest book and someone wrote a scary story about a stalker who was staring in the window at them or something about a banshee, and you cant get that thought out of your head, then the fire and phone dies, your in darkness, then you hear the noise of twigs snapping outside..........
I couldn't do this, I find it terrifying enough being a long distance lorry driver and sleeping away. Many strange moments I've had over the years. This would be even more frightening I think
I've stayed in a hut that had a convicted serial killers name on the wall and date, someone probably did it as a joke but the date was before he was caught.
Don’t know why I love this so much. This one of my fave videos on the site cuz I think of it a lot. Just the surreal foggy dreamy desolate spooky landscape the cold eerie lighting. You saying you are in the middle of no where so no one could help you easily. The black creepy window. The laughter in the forest. Everything. I think you are quite brave and lovely and I love your channel. ❤️😍❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Safe travels 🥾 Friend. Blessings from Brooklyn NY. Thank you for these videos, Hyper therapeutic in my end. Your videos have motivated me to start LIVING my life. 15 Year's as a US Marine, many deployments. Learning to love myself and live life to the fullest #RESPECT.
I wasn't claiming a person's state of mind affects their actual physical safety level. The OP was suggesting her fear based on her isolated location was misplaced. I was making the point that her fear is purely psychological and not based on any actual pending physical threat. So my point is about how it might be logical that her isolation makes her safer, but her state of mind, which is what her fear is based on, thinks differently. Hope that helps clear it up.
Creepers and stalkers can hide and wait just anywhere. Her parked van at the beginning of the trail could give a hint also… However, I agree that cities are statistically more unsafe.
Lovely video, especially appreciated how honest you were the whole time with your experience. It's so refreshing not to just be glamorising the quietness, remoteness and stillness when having an experience like this but also include the anxiety you (might) feel as well as the rubbish (and worse) that other people had left behind in the open. Also, maybe would've been more enjoyable if you were with a friend but I guess that could be another video of its own.
I used to feel anxious - camping out in my little tent many years ago - in State or National Parks in the US - when I was the only camper in an area. Wilderness versus city noises. Some people fall asleep in the quiet - I often couldn’t. If you ever Bothy-camp again - bring and donate candles. They gave YOU comfort - they will for someone else…
I with a friend was once playing "Greensleeves" in the castle ruins, where Catherine Parr was imprisoned by Henry the 8th. It was thick fog. All of a sudden there was a raucous coughing behind us. Scared the living day lights out of us. It was a sheep.
@ruthaisling It was a pleasure, thankyou for reminding me of the story. It was at high school and we had sneeked out of bounds over the school wall, during our school lunch break.
I went camping with a friend and one night he didn't close the tent flap properly. I was awoken by two sheep who had entered our tent and were trying to eat my sleeping bag. I can assure you that getting sheep out of a tent is no joke and they got quite bad-tempered at out attempts to shoo them out.
When we go somewhere new we always say you have to find where your coat peg is first. Once you get your bearings and make it homely you will settle in.
Yea, thanks for being candid and giving us your real feelings on staying there vs. feigning being totally fine w it all… I stayed in a really remote place recently and I was totally buggin’ out - no curtains!!
I can't believe she's even questioning herself for feeling anxious 😂 I love the countryside but this looks like an absolute nightmare. I hope she makes it out in one piece!!
.....for me, the silence would be more overpowering than the isolation. A great piece of honest filming. You admitted you were scared, but you rose above it and conquered. Total respect. 😎☯️
Well done Ruth it takes a sense of adventure and courage to do what you did. I'm a 59 yr old man in good shape but i admit i would be scared to do this too! Thanks for sharing.
Yeah, was thinking when she said that phone signal was available outside but not in, so as long as you can escape out of the Bothy, you might be able to get a call out for help should something happen . She is braver then I .
Not sure if you knpw thos, but that bothie has documented paranormal activity right here on youtube, doors open, chairs and objects move, door knocking...your gut instinct was picking up that energy and was spot on... good job you didn't know about it, and used your ear plugs eh?! 😂
I enjoyed this video. I'm from sunny Malaysia n can only imagine the crisp cold air of Scotland. The views r indeed expansive n stunning. Here we have an abundance of shady trees that block the views somewhat. Thanks for sharing your little adventure at the bothy Ruth.
I just watched a video by Happy Hippy Wild Living called "is the White Laggan bothy haunted?" He was hearing all sorts of noises. Someone kept knocking on the door but there was no-one there and he heard someone moving about in the other room, again no-one there. Worth a watch.
Instant subscribe! What a wonderful video. Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I've always wanted to do this myself, but i would also be so nervous. You did amazing, lighting the fire, cooking some soup, cozying down, fantastic! ☺️
I think you hit the nail on the head when you were getting ready for bed,when you said it's so remote..what's the chances of someone coming to this Bothy when you are there all alone..you are a hardy lass Rurh..you have a way bigger set than me..I couldn't do that..Kudos!!
I know that bothy and have spent a night there with a friend. It is haunted and we experienced a strange happening. We also slept in the back room. As a precaution we balanced some empty tin cans on the door latch so if any person or animal managed to open the door they would fall to the ground and alert us. In the morning both our back packs had been opened and our clothes neatly folded and piled up in the other room. Also our empty coffee mugs had been placed upside down on the table. The tin cans were still on the door latch ! We have no idea how this happened.
Hello Ruth. I just discovered your channel a week ago and I cannot tell you how much I have enjoyed watching your videos. To stay in some of the places you have gone to takes a lot of courage to do. Most places are truly beautiful.
Spent weeks in bothies on Rhum in the 80's. Mice and rats are often a problem, leave snacks, dry goods etc in a biscuit tin. Good news, if there are mice there are rarely rats. Always try leaving more (wood, candles etc.) than you brought.
That's a fallacy. If there's mice, there's a high chance there's rats too. I was always led to believe that rats and mice very rarely infested the same place at the same time. That was until a few years ago, where the place i was living had both. The exterminator told me it happens far more regularly than we could imagine. If you have mice, then they attract rats, so it's important to rid your place of mice as quickly as possible.
Your darn right I would be anxious,and more. But I would probably not go and stay without asking someone to share the experience with me. You are brave, it’s always worth it in the end. 🇨🇦
This video has started me down an exciting journey (watching your videos)! Thank you for taking us on this magnificent journey with you! We appreciate your artistry!
Miss Ruth, you are one gutsy lady to stay in this Bothy. I don't think i have the guts to stay alone. Watching your video is like watching a drama unfolding, exciting yet scary.
I think the land definitely added to your sense of unease. The environment itself seemed to have a consciousness. At the risk of sounding dramatic, there are definitely spirits there.
The people that you need to be wary of, are back in the city. People who make the effort to travel outdoors are usually very friendly and kind. There are exceptions of course. Last year in a bothy in Knoydart had to ask a group of middle class English people to return to their tents so that the rest of us could get our heads down. (I am English by the way) The fire incidentally is referred to as the bothy TV. Regarding the exceptional amount of waste around your bothy, I have recently bought a small device from a chap in Connecticut in the USA, called a backpacking bidet. It's a small attachment you can put on a water bottle. It takes 1-3 years for paper to degrade. One's own waste far less. This device therefore is far more environmentally friendly. Will be checking its value on my next trip north in May. Best wishes. Keep posting your videos. C.
I have a small portable Bidet (Pocket size). Much more hygienic than wiping and easy to use. Does a much better cleaner job. (Excuse the pun). Although, if you were outside in cold weather and the water in the Bidet bottle was freezing, that would be a shock.
Very sorry to hear about your townsfolk. Britain is a safer place than the USA, I think. We are not allowed to own guns except under very strict rules. I don't know anyone who has one and at 76 years of age I have never handled one. Similarly it is illegal to carry a knife. Although in our cities it is a problem with some youngsters. Best wishes. Charles.
Ruth, be safe. I'm telling you this as an American, please, be safe. There are a lot of crazies out there. Here in the States we have more options to defend ourselves. Please, truly, be safe.
Great video! One thing -- It's not advisable to use a camping stove on a table where you're sitting. One bump and you'll have boiling water in your lap.
Have you ever considered getting some pocket sized rechargeable electric hand warmers to throw in your sleeping bag? I have had some of those & a solar powered power bank in my EDC for quite a while now. Definitely helps you stay toasty.
I have quite vague memories of staying in a lovely cosy bothy on Skye , the place was heaving, the fires hot .... i remember the cosy cramped feeling quite well . Now that i have moved north from the Lakes to Ayrshire, I am planning again wild nights and camps and walks . Thanks for the inspiration
Your such a strong and brave lady I cannot think of myself to be all alone in the middle of forest staying overnight in bothy .No not even in my dreams. Lots of love and best wishes for Ur next upcoming videos. Love 💕 from India Darjeeling
If you stay in an old building with a solid fuel fire you will hear all sorts of knocking and ticking noises from things expanding and contracting from warming and cooling. Others on the thread have listed wildlife that can make unfamiliar sounds outside as well as rodents and shrews inside. In those temperatures they would not be active but beetles can make a surprising amount of noise rustling about. Some use knocking to communicate with potential mates etc. All this is more noticeable when alone and anxious.
Interesting you talk about the weird noises you were hearing. If you look at the footage at approx 18.24 just after you say Tesco, the camera cuts back and shows you lighting your little cooker, at 18.27 look to the right of the window below the candle, around the height of the window sill, you will see a white shape appear out of thin air and it then descends down between the table and chair out of camera shot. To me this looks very much like paranormal activity, it isn't an "Orb", neither is it the string like entities I have seen else where, this appears to be almost like a snow flake. I'm not sure what others see, but this is my take on it. Loved your courage and sense of adventure, awesome.
I would love that the tranquillity and silence of the night with just the wisp of a breeze blowing outside and the occasional owl letting the guests know you are not really alone. Yes, book me a Night. 😊😊
Another great video you are certainly an intrepid adventure going off there. I would love to stay at a place like that, especially out there where it’s total silence and no people! The juxtaposition of the high technology drown with the landscape and the surroundings that takes you back 100 if not 1000 yearsis really sort of funny I picture all these ghost and spirits of Scott’s from the past and here we are running drones around! So very cool
Ruth commented she was hearing noises at night and put her ear plugs in thinking it was paranormal-as another commenter mentioned who woke to find their clothes nearly folded, mugs upside down, and stove disassembled. I wish someone would stay here and leave a camera running all night! 👻
Pointless though as there's no evidence anything paranormal exists. Sure anyone can get freaked out, but that doesn't mean anything other than it being a you problem. It's cool to think about ghosts and such but they don't exist.
If you leave camera running, they would know it and won't move things. I had all this in my house as well as in my mother's house. When a place is empty, these things will move in.
@@maimsahb Yeah right - that's mighty convenient or rather stupid isn't it? Consider this - you're a ghost. You are somewhat reticent to have people know you exist and only wan to appear to gullible people but not on camera? You see the excuse you're making here that doesn't add up?
@@happyhermit2022 It says a lot about your state of mind frankly. I used to love ghost stories as a kid and living in the country would go looking round abandoned houses. In the end we stayed overnight a camped in them. I desperately wanted to to see something but nothing ever showed because it's utter bollocks. After I realised basic criticial thinking, you know bugger all is going to unnerve you so I've camped in graveyards, and it's fine.
I had a panic attack when staying in my van on a dark night in Montana. So I can understand you being anxious. Place needs a different shovel. Love to you
Oh bless you Ruth, you've got some bottle to do that? I really felt for you, watching the vid. You just looked so anxious. I was relieved when it was daylight and you said you were going to hike back. There is something about the Highlands, especially at night. Does give you feelings, you don't feel anywhere else the same.
The midges ate all the bears. I often find first time in a new place will take me a while to get to sleep, once asleep I will easily sleep through thunderstorms and earth tremors. Pitched tent and camped beside bothys in the past but weathers never been wild or wet enough to get me sleeping inside.
You're a brave one Ruth! No locks would have creeped me out going solo. The suggestion of leaving something in front of the door to make a noise is a good one. I think lose the ear plugs. Your hearing and a good bright flashlight are essential. Stay safe!
This bothy was a godsend on the Southern upland way which i completed 20 years ago.I had just endured one of the hardest days walk i have ever endured.Not because of the terrain but the awful weather strong winds and driving rain{it was July!}So glad to change into dry gear and cook some food.I will be leaving the MBA a legacy in my will.They are lifesavers.
Thanks for watching everyone! Would you stay overnight in a bothy like this?
Don't forget you can use the code RUTH15 to get £15 off HOVERAir X1: bit.ly/4bKECIk (Valid until April 30th)
I'm a Londoner so I'd be totally freaking out at the isolation and fear of deranged locals. Also, I noticed you said there was a saw, but no mention of an axe which I feel sure the bothy would normally be equipped with. What happened to the axe Ruth? Hmm...
My husband has taken some of our daughters and stayed at a bothy they all loved it!
Miss Ruth, we just need you to visit us in Tennessee! You are a real sweetheart & your videos are wonderful! Your enthusiasm is contagious!
Nope. I'd be paranoid about the security. I'm guessing literally anyone could just walk in during the night
You have every right to feel scared. You are a braver woman than I staying in a remote cabin that you can not lock. I think I would bar the door by putting a table against it. I'd also carry a knife and some mace.
I stayed in one in the 90s with a friend. A couple of hikers arrived, then three birdwatchers. We all got drunk on Glayva and cheap whisky and sang songs while we watched the sun set. Then we all fell asleep in one big pile. In the morning we all went our separate ways, and it’s one of my best memories.
Sounds like an amazing night!
and you had a wee bairn
@@patrickjoseph-q4k LOL, no. We were all female except one of the birdwatchers, and he was the first to pass into a whisky coma. 😂 The other two birdwatchers were his wife and daughter, so zero shenanigans of that sort were had.
Sounds brilliant x
I find the "One big pile" aspect , somewhat disturbing !
People need to know that you need to identify a place & dig a little hole before it gets dark, otherwise people end up going to the toilet near the bothy because it is too dark to do much else. Plan ahead & create your toilet spot when you arrive. Make sure you have a torch so you can find your prepared spot. In the morning check that all is covered up with earth. No-one should be able to see anything except freshly turned earth.
Very good advice!
And maybe a little sealable freezer bag for your used tissues to take home with you? Honestly, I cannot believe people sometimes...
@@leejohnson3209I agree best to have some recycled brown toilet paper, less conspicuous.
Truly awful that people left such a mess. I'd have to clear it up in the morning no way could I leave that, shocking & very sad :(
Some 💩 in their pillowcase but turn the pillow over to trap the fumes
I met a bloke from Germany in a bothy in Scotland. He was a prisoner of war and had a war pension from Germany and a UK pension,. He told me all about his life and love of Scotland since he was a POW. I was being eaten alive by midges and he went into the forest and came back with a shrub that kept them away. He also gave me advice that taking garlic capsules is a good anti midge repelent.
I'll need to try that!
Your a wee star Ruth, we are keenly awaitin, next adventure, rgds Newton Mearns, Glasgow
I would love to know the name of the shrub that deterred the midges, please, if anyone knows.
@@sarahstrong7174 bog myrtle 😉
@@sarahstrong7174 No idea if it is the shrub in question, but crushed yarrow is supposed to act as an insect repellent.
Bravery is not being unafraid. Bravery is being afraid and doing it anyway. I admire your courage. Really.
Actually, that's courage. Bravery is being unafraid.
No such thing as unafraid fear is a human condition ! It's how we use it that makes us brave !
These days it would be silly to take the risk, Its not just about her its also about those who love her.
I would just advise being cautious if you are on your own, a few years ago, I was in the Army and walking/jogging the West Highland Way while on leave, I had stayed a bit too long at a Hotel Bar along the banks of Loch Lomond and ended up reaching a Bothy towards the Northern end of Loch Lomond in the dark, I entered the Bothy to find two young ladies looking extremely scared huddled together and an older guy, I could feel the tension between them and the relief of the young ladies, the guy was very weird, very quiet, as soon as he went outside the ladies told me he had been telling them they would sleep close together on the raised part of the bothy and they were really scared, it was in the late 90's before mobile phones, I made sure they were together on the raised platform with me on the other side of them, when he came back in and tried telling us he was supposed to be on the raised platform, I told him to put his sleeping bag down by the fireplace, a very strange guy, I stayed awake most of the night and could tell he was awake also, by first light he had packed and disappeared! I stayed with the ladies for the next day to make sure he wasn't waiting along the Walk somewhere for them. 99.99% of trekkers are decent people, but just be very careful especially if you are on your own out there.
Good for you - well done.
Indeed, the few are the ones one must always be on the lookout for, but the best part about being in a remote place is if one needs to play hero one can do it and no one will ever know the tale sure years later fragments may arise but that is all is such a place as this young lady has stayed in.
Having someone stand outside of a window and staring at you is one of my worst fears for some reason. I'd be scared shitless in such place, you are so brave 😭
Yea..they should have curtains.......
Same here. I could never…
She is not alone
Get a little dog. A dog can sense anyone out there at 100 yards.
that's indeed creepy.
Hi Ruth, My name is Damien. I've camped alone in many places in the US and Canada., encountering bears, snakes, and other critters. Sometimes I've been scared, but mostly not. I'm 78 now and my camping adventures are behind me but I'm enjoying reading about yours. Good luck and happy adventuring. Be safe, be well, have fun.❤
I'm around 50 and like camping ( sometimes) . The animal sounds at night disturb the sleep, but nothing can beat the peacefulness and calmness of the night. I was a much more frightened and anxious camper during my early 20's, but life forced me to embrace everything that comes my way.
More likely get attacked by a squirrel 🐿️ 😆
Thanks Damien! Sounds like fun adventures!
Good point. Sorry that you're camping days are over. Who knows? Never say never, perhaps the old days will come back.
Bears? Not afraid of them. Mountain Lions, I don't like those. In Western Canada,we have both! You just have to use common sense though.
This is the type of content I want to see in my feed. This girl is brave, courageous and full of positivity at the same time.
YES! I'm in my 70's and still contemplating going on a walkabout😂❤!
Never in a million years would I be brave enough to visit this place alone. I admire your ability to challenge yourself like that.
thanks!
This isn't bravery but utter stupid. Just a matter of chance that nothing happened. There is no rescue.
@@omtoolika Like I said, I would never attempt this, I'd be terrified. However, I can't help but admire her efforts. She's clearly self sufficient and 'backed herself'.
@@omtoolika It's Scotland, not America. We aren't savages
@@ruthaisling I'm what I guess you can call a "sensitive" to those kinds of things, I felt anxiety the whole time while watching and I could also feel your anxiety through the screen, I knew there was something up in that whole area since you were hiking, I'm glad you're ok!
If only my old legs were not bent and sore, I'd be there in a frenzy! I was brought up in a wee glen in the West Highlands, and wandered the hills alone, being an only child with no other children nearby! The distance to your bothy, and it being dark at 7pm., I'd have no worries of someone breaking in at all! I lived in the age where doors were never locked, and the land around was filled with wildlife and our few animals who were out to graze. I came south to work, and hated the cities, so retired back here again. The place is full of summer lets, and people retiring from England, so it is not so easy to leave doors unlocked anymore! I'm in my 70's now and arthritis cripples me, but hope that you young ones do more walking and using wee bothies on my behalf, bringing my memories back again! Thankyou so much, you've made an old woman very happy!
Come to Arizona or Death valley for a few weeks and warm up and dry out from all that rain and mist.
❤
You are a gift indeed! Respect and love from Baltistan (home to 14 of the qorld highest peaks of the world aka The Roof of Thr World) Pakistan!!❤❤❤❤❤❤
🌷
are you saying english elderly are thieves, in england ppl never locked there doors some still dont i dont all the time thives can come in all types of ppl not just english
The closest I ever got to staying in Scotland like that was sleeping in a forest in a car in my teens many, many years ago. The deer do frighten the life out of you with their coughing and the rustling in the undergrowth caused by who knows what. At nearly eighty, too old to now try a bothy so I am an armchair adventurer enjoying your travels.
Good to know I'm not the only one who was startled by the deer coughing! Thanks for watching the videos!
You could do it. Just take a couple of young, capable people with you.😊❤
Camped all over Scotland and never heard a deer cough in my life 😂😂
I forgot about the coughing! I think I would have turned around and ran back to my car at the sound of a cough in the woods!!!
Foxes are even worse. I camped in the lakes with a group of friends when I was a teen and we heard one screaming in the woods in the middle of the night. We had no idea foxes made that noise. We literally thought a woman was being attacked. We didn't know what to do as it was pitch dark and we thought we'd lose the tent if we started wandering around looking for her.
I saw another video on the same Bothy - this chap was hearing footsteps all night in the adjoining room and all sorts happening through the night - so you got off lightly:) But still brave.
Next January I am starting a whole year of bothy bothering. Staying in different bothys for 364 days. Will document it all. And yes deer cough.
What a fantastic thing to do!
That sounds wild! I hope you have a brilliant year :)
Wow that’s such a cool idea!
Make sure you bring along a year's worth of Architectural Digest and Pepto Bismol.
Sheep cough too.
I have stayed in a few bothies in Scotland but never alone in fact I have never hiked alone. Adventures are 10 times better with friends. When it is completely dark outside you can reduce your anxiety but being completely dark inside too. The noises you were hearing was the heat from your fireplace expanding the chimney and the roof where the chimney passes through. The scariest thing in the wilderness is your vivid imagination.
Some common sense! Yay
"The scariest thing in the wilderness is your vivid imagination" say's the person who is too scared to hike alone
@@dye5915 I never said I was "too scared to hike alone", I just said I have never hiked alone. A shared experience us so much better than playing with yourself.
@@dye5915 What argument are you making, exactly?
Only hiking with other people in remote places misses out on the beauty of experiencing nature on your on turns. Also can limit spontaneity.
I lost it when she said that without curtains someone could be standing outside the window watching. That's it, bothy and I could never.
Curtains would have solved everything as if
Bit of a 'main characte' syndrome, that one. Everyone's a perv, because she's always in danger of being some kind of a victim. She is THAT important.
@@paperkay anyone could be in danger in a shack in the middle of nowhere regardless of gender
Yeah that's my worst nightmare😂
Given the population density of these areas, I doubt even that psychopaths fancy lingering about, for fear of encountering scary hikers and other such ne'er-do-wells! 😂
what i really liked about this video is that when i almost went to google to find out what a bothy is, she explained what it is. then i wondered if she is alone and walking then who takes her drone shots, then she talks about the drone.
Edit: aight, I watched the entire video now and oh my lord, this is my new favorite solo hiking video on the internet. I love your personality, I loved the mood of the video, I loved everything. My favorite part was you making tea cause of course even if it is a sort of a wilderness survival video but tea is always primary. I dont know what else to say but this video was amazing. I loved every bit of it.
Thank you so much for your kind comments!
Just a note....if you leave lights on (candles) inside at night, anyone outside can see you perfectly, like a fishbowl, but you wont see anything outside through the window. If you douse the lights inside, once you get your night vision after about 15 minutes, you will see clearly outside and anyone outside will not see you very well. Youre safer to douse the lights and see whats outside if youre worried about people coming.
Sounds like you know.
I know this from going into the woods - without a light. I do not go far, but anyway. When I was younger, I was always scared. But since Covid times I got to know the woods and what lives there - is mostly harmless in our area.
Also, if you light things like tea lights from a longer candle (or a twig), it's easier, less risk of burning yourself, and it saves fuel in your flame source.
@@bjdefilippo447 You can also die in your sleep from carbon dioxide from too many candles. You don't need candle lights when you're gonna sleep.
I am surprise that she didn’t know simple basic survival but decide to sleep alone in the middle of no where.
I've always found the scottish highlands really eerie, especially at night. There is a calm serenity whilst being ominously hostile.
I would love to go one-day!
I'm in love with the highlands, my favourite place on this earth.
But I absolutely agree, it feels haunted. No matter where I went, what random bit of the forrest, or road track. Stand there in silence for a little while, and it feels like you're not alone.
@@archie1299 woww
Lol
That makes me want to go even more!!!
Personal opinion but I feel this is the true purpose of RUclips - to share experiences like this. To educate, to demonstrate something different. I have stayed overnight in the woods and a cemetery on numerous occasions & can honestly say, hand on heart, they were the most peaceful, joyful experiences of my life. Thank you for sharing this with us. Please stay safe always.
Thank you 🙏
@panterking916 I totally agree! That’s why we share our family adventures here in the Scottish highlands to inspire others to do something different and take adventures! We recently shared a video of our own family bothy trip which was epic!
I would definitely try this.
Good point. When I camp in the outdoors I feel the need to hide. I never slept in the open ; it is too risky.
Sleeping in a cemetery, my ex father in-law use to say "It's not the dead you have to worry about"
Ruth -- On the question of doing a number 2..... Go well away from the mountain stream so you don't contaminate the water, eg, in the forest,. Dig to 45 cm, do your business; wipe your bum. Backfill. Wash hands with damp leaves or sphagnum moss. Then wash hands in stream. Keep a stout stick near you so you can respond if your position is compromised whilst on "duty."
I'm Scottish and I've been bothying for 20+ years. Fear is not an option. I've been to bothies on my own, met complete strangers and had a good nights blether around the fire. Bothy etiquette dictates there's always room for one more.
You’re a man. Runs different for women
No thanks !!!!!!!!! My favorite traveling partner is my sister but we either get a 2 bedroom suite or separate rooms. I need my own private space ( even tho we shared a room growing up ). The thought of sharing the same space with strangers ( without a bathroom ) is an absolute NO GO for me. But I did enjoy this video cause 100 % I will never go there myself so I appreciated that she did it for me.
@cindynewburg4084 I think the older you get, the more you need your own bedroom.
The world is a completely different place when you're in a female body.
Yes. It's a whole different reality when you're a woman alone.
I absolutely could not do this. I'd be up all night terrified.
Scotland's a safe country outside of Glasgow.
@@Sabhail_ar_Alba lol have you been to Cumbernauld?!
Bit of a dump, sorry 😞
Same 😂 I've watched too many horror movies
Especially a woman traveling alone. It seems to be awfully risky.
Dear Ruth, what a blessing it must be to have Scotland as your home country!!! Scotland and it's islands are sooooooooooooooo stunning; it is beyond believe! I live in the most flat country someone can think of: The Netherlands (Hellevoetsluis (near Rotterdam)). But geologically speaking, there is luckily a very nice coincidence: Scotland is placed not too far away from Holland! I like to watch your videos and today i've learned about Bothies (never heard of before). Please show us more of your absolutely stunning home country, because Scotland deserves too be seen!!! Lovely greetings from The Netherlands.
Netherlands is not boring, I find it very beautiful and exciting. Greetings from Warsaw
Ive met many Dutch people hiking off the beaten track going back to the 80s. They seemed well ahead of us in knowledge of cross country Highland and Islands routes, and where the bothies were before the MBA went public with their location.
Glad you're enjoying the videos, thanks for watching!
I have scottish and Irish decendants in my blood line, and for some reason Scotland is so very endearing to me. Would love to experience Scotland one day!
All the way from South Africa.
I absolutely love the Dutch towns. Canals, ducks, bicycles and the ancient townscapes. Just beautiful!
I stayed in an old soldier’s fort in the dakotas once…everyone left me alone there…I was so freaked out…I couldn’t tune a clear station on the radio and the soldier’s old photograph staring at me didn’t help…it was an uncomfortable night with me huddled under the covers until morning…I didn’t know Jesus then…So I didn’t know I could pray for peace and comfort and all bad things to be gone in His name ❤
Memories of years ago, 1961, I was a 16-year-old in the navy and expedition training in the Scottish mountains. We found a bothy but convinced ourselves it was haunted, so we stayed in our small tents. The bothy was much smaller than this one and a stream/river was flowing further down the mountain, we caught some salmon there and made a campfire and cooked the salmon outside the bothy. A lovely experience and your adventure reminded me of those days, so thank you for the memories I am glad you had a safe experience to look back on too.
I stayed in this Bothy with a couple of mates. Some strange things happened that night.
We kept hearing noises outside, as though people were outside waiting to come in. My mate went to the door, just to tell them to come in(in case they maybe didn't want come in because we were there), but there was no one there. We had a look around the Bothy, incase they'd maybe decided to pitch a tent round the back, but there was nothing.
We settled down, made some food, and we heard the door latch. Thinking it was someone coming in, we readied ourselves to greet them, but no one came in. I got up to check the other room, but no one was there.
Things like that happened all night. We got into our sleeping bags and fell asleep. When we wakened up though, our rucksacks were lined up against the room door, and our clothes had all been folded up and placed in neat piles on the table. Our mugs were turned upside down, and placed in front of the piles of clothes, and out cooking stove was disassembled and laid out neatly in front of the mugs.
There's no way it was someone else, as, our rucksacks were blocking the doorway.
A very strange night and odd morning.
Your comment is exactly like the other guy's comment. Wtf ?
@@paulchristie3306 What other comment?
Yes, someone else said the same thing about staying at this Bothy. Clothes being neatly folded up. Need to find the comment.
@@momohead35 I scrolled through, and found the other comment...Woah!! That's eerily similar to what happened to us. That's absolutely mental, by the way. They slept in the other room. We slept in the room where all of this happened. So whatever it was, was in the room with us.
That sounds a very strange experience. I heard the strange noises too, but not the door latch. I knew I would never be able to sleep hearing them so that's why I put in the ear plugs. It was either that or going outside and walking back in the dark.....
Have you seen Cecilia Blomdahl's channel from Svalbard in northern Norway? Whenever she leaves her home to stay in a remote cabin she has to bring a rifle to guard against polar bears. When I was a boy my father and grandfather used to take me trout fishing in our home state of Maine. We'd paddle Gramp's old wooden canoe three miles upstream to an old logging cabin, which was always kept unlocked. An American counterpart of a bothy!
I've watched a few of her videos but never knew that! I'd like to travel in America sometime, it sounds nice!
I watch Cecilia too. She makes it clear that it is the law to carry a rifle in Svalbard when outside the town, to protect against polar bears but there are very clear instructions on when it can be fired. I.e. to warn the polar bear away rather than shoot it.
When it comes to bringing food to a bothy you might consider MREs: Meals Ready to Eat. These are the field rations used by the American military. Unoficially they are called "Meals rejected by Ethiopians:"
Hi from Maine
Thankfully, there're not too many polar bears in Scotland, but a blunderbuss would give you a feeling of safety.
Love it. Critters are nocturnal thus the noises that you can't see but imagine to be this or that. The fire is your friend & company. Well done. Great adventure. Thanks for sharing.
Ruth, you know what you could have done, is put that wire mesh against the door, then if anyone opened the door they would have knocked it over. Alarm system. Yes, to answer your question, I suffer with anxiety when I have to go to a place I have not been too. The bravery award goes to Ruth. Excellent video. What is the next bravery thing you're going to do? ❤👍🤛
That’s good idea, I never thought of that! I think the next few videos will be more calm haha!
Ruth. I think i may have stated this before, but i not sure. You are an Ambassador for your beautiful Scotland. You’re so empathetic when speaking about your journey and the places you visit. I always look forward to your videos, because they cheer me up. ❤🫶🏴🏴
I to suffer from anxiety when going to new places. No way could I do this especially alone. I'd be a bag of nerves.
@@Maggie-j3r. . . Interesting response. Maggie, but just ‘why’ would that be-?..
My question was asked with regard to : ‘Going to new places’.
The door on the fire should be left open for warmth and closed if you’re cooking - that’s why the top is metal so that you can boil water etc. You should take a dog with you who would hear any movement outside.
Its even more scarie if the dog barking in the night 🥶🥶
@@Jaksel88or growling!!
Could burn the awful toilet paper that’s sooooo bad for bothy users.💩 nah she just walks past it.
depends on how the flames taking hold !
Imagine what life was like for the folk who lived their lives in those remote places long ago. Brave, beautiful souls.
The world was not like now though frankly you cannot trust anyone much now
Harsh conditions produced hardy stock, we are all too mollycoddled now and it shows. 😢
They weren’t scared
Brave is doing it in spite of fear
There was so much less fear in the workd
They were far tougher than we are
My poor grandmother used to stay in one years ago when she was spud picking in the farms working for farmers and then at night she would stay in one off this places god love her she's recently passed
Ruth thanks for your insight in to this and your advice on how it works happy new year
Thank you so much 🙏 and happy new year to you!!
Ruth you are super brave…. I don’t think I could stay by myself overnight in a Bothy….I was freaked out enough watching you 😂…well done.
brave lol as a woman -alone this is just stupid
To say a woman is brave is like saying a bear is gentle , She is stupid and she is lucky she walked out of there alive
Many years ago I was a civilian driver for the army. They had an old wooden school teachers' house on the moors in Northumberland. It was called the deer hut, as it had been used for culling deer. the army would rent it out for £2 per night to soldiers and civilian workers and their families. It had no electricity and an earth toilet. I absolutely loved going there. It was that remote you couldn't even get a radio signal. I could have happily lived there permanently. I hated going home back to the so-called civilised way of life.
That sounds amazing, I heard that’s a beautiful area too!
I feel you ❤
Read your comment and made me wonder how's your life now? How young(or old) are you now, Sir/Mam?
@@mayankmuley1282 I am a 77-year-old male and am now in very poor health. I hate these times of greed and selfishness. We have gained a lot in the way of technology but we have lost many of the simpler pleasures we once had. I long to return to my childhood and the uncomplicated life I enjoyed. Children today are exposed to violent and explicit material on television and in the media, they don't get the chance. to enjoy their childhood as I did. I would hate to be born into these times, there is so much competition between children now. Who has the best phone, and who wears the most stylish clothes. I went to school with holes in my shoes and hand-me-down clothes, but nobody cared what you looked like, or if your father had a good job. They saw you as a friend.
@@mayankmuley1282 It's polite to state your age first, then ask another's age.
This is definitely not something i would ever do (unless i had no choice). Being out in the middle of nowhere, in a house where the front door is literally open to anyone and everyone. The chance that there might already be people there and not knowing exactly who they were, or (as you said) not knowing if there was someone outside the window watching you. As for putting ear plugs in so you couldn't hear the noises, this would just freak me out even more. If someone was coming into the house i'd want to hear it, not just wake up to them (or it!) right in my face! I can see this being ideal subject matter for a really scary horror film. All i can say is, you are BRAVE!
Yep, the Bothy Witch Project!
Bothy witch project 😂😂
If i arrived at a bothy and someone was already there, I'd prefer they didn't have ear plugs in so they would know I'd arrived and there could be some mutual acknowledgement
Stupid more like. Although it's probably safer than certain parts of the city if it was an unlocked door with no curtains etc.
Have none of you people ever heard of camping in tent, no locks
I'm an American who loves to go hiking. I've never heard of a bothy and came across your video. You did a fantastic job of explaining the experience and history of this. If I get to Scotland I must try it. Thanks again for an amazing video!
I hope you get to travel to a both one day!
She is a hero 💗✨ I will be scared to be completely alone there I really admire her brave spirit ❤
A shero 😉
Im in the US but my Grandparents immigrated from Scotland when my father was very young. I would ex pat back to Scotland in a Heartbeat and join the bothy volunteers and live out the rest of my days fixing those gorgeous little places up. I am a historical carpenter here in the states, but given the age of the states I would just be a regular carpenter in Scotland....lol! Ive been back to visit family several times and my wife has family in Scotland as well. We met at a big Scottish festival in North Carolina. You make me homesick, Cheers!
That sounds great, I’m sure they would really appreciate your help!
I camped during my early 20's and stayed in an isolated cabin and couldn't sleep the whole night properly as I felt ver vulnerable. Now, that im 50, I wouldnt mind doing it again as I feel more confident now.
Doing a part of the southern upland way in October 2024, I had planned a night in this bothy. Arriving at my destination in the middle of the afternoon, I entered the bothy and there I saw: in the bedroom, tissues on the floor as well as a box of medicines, large supplies of water in the large room and a stock of food for several weeks in the kitchen. Not to mention the smell of tobacco and dirt inside and the jacket hanging on the wall.
I didn't hesitate for long before leaving, as it looked like someone had settled in for the long haul.
I've never walked so fast in my entire journey, covering an extra 11km to land with my tent on the edge of another lake. You never know who you're dealing with and I was, like you, really alone on long stretches of road.
Sounds slightly unsettling 🫣
Getting to your destination in a lonely place near nighttime is always unsettling. Arriving with many hours of day light left before dark, gives you time to get settled in and feel like this is your space. Thanks for sharing your journey, Ruth. ❤
Ruth, you have courage, aren't you scared？Pay for your coffee in honor of your courage.
ルースさん、勇気有りますね、怖くないのですか？勇気を称えてコーヒー代に☕😃☀️
小川さん、ありがとう。ご親切にありがとう！ ❤
You're very brave Don't think I would stay some place that I could not lock the door.
The no locks and no curtains were a bit scary...!
Obviously you don't understand the Scottish people and our way of life peaceful till you get on our wrong side then your arse is butter 😅if you don't understand rather visit London .
@@1gerard47There always has to be one.
@@1gerard47everyone lives like this in Scotland don’t they 🙄
There are no locks on tents, and that is the standard for camping...
I get that eerie feeling just watching. I can never and will never hike alone in the middle of no where and stay in a creepy place I get scare easily. No amount of money will i stay in that place nor hike there. I'm afraid of being alone especially in the dark. Kudos to you!
It depends where. Rural Scotland is very safe.
It's just a case of getting used to it.
I know myself and no way would I have been able to stay there alone. I can camp in the forest by myself where I know that no one knows I'm there. But I would feel so vulnerable in a bothy alone where some crazy dude might be lurking nearby, peering in the windows. NO WAY. I felt your terror in my own belly just from watching the video. That said I would love to have the experience of walking up to one of these bothys (bothies?) and finding a group of lovely, fun, hikers already there, sharing drink and music and fire before snoring the night away next to each other in communal stranger bliss.
If you have any kind of light source, someone knows you're there.
I loved my night stay there a few years ago! So peaceful waking up and drinking coffee in the veranda area. Lovely video Ruth!
Could you imagine you staying in the bothy snd decide to read that guest book and someone wrote a scary story about a stalker who was staring in the window at them or something about a banshee, and you cant get that thought out of your head, then the fire and phone dies, your in darkness, then you hear the noise of twigs snapping outside..........
Your a brave wee lassie 😂
I couldn't do this, I find it terrifying enough being a long distance lorry driver and sleeping away. Many strange moments I've had over the years. This would be even more frightening I think
@@DanielBeard-un2fg love you to share those tales
Bro 😂😂😂
I've stayed in a hut that had a convicted serial killers name on the wall and date, someone probably did it as a joke but the date was before he was caught.
Don’t know why I love this so much. This one of my fave videos on the site cuz I think of it a lot. Just the surreal foggy dreamy desolate spooky landscape the cold eerie lighting. You saying you are in the middle of no where so no one could help you easily. The black creepy window. The laughter in the forest. Everything. I think you are quite brave and lovely and I love your channel. ❤️😍❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
OMG Ruth I don't know if you're extremely brave or completely crazy! Whichever you are amazing. No way I could have done that! Hats off to you 🤩
I’m thinking the same thing
I don't blame her for being afraid or being nervous. I was like that too when I started working for Yellowstone National Park 😊
I would feel safer in a camper van also with locks. In America I would probably carry a weapon with me.
I would definitely not go by myself.
I wouldn't have paid for such a place.
Safe travels 🥾 Friend. Blessings from Brooklyn NY. Thank you for these videos, Hyper therapeutic in my end. Your videos have motivated me to start LIVING my life. 15 Year's as a US Marine, many deployments. Learning to love myself and live life to the fullest #RESPECT.
I’m glad to hear you are enjoying the videos so much! ❤️
Glad you are living a good life! This trip was so enjoyable😂❤.
The sheer fact that it is a 45 minute hike and is remote makes it safer than if you were camping in a park in a town.
Logically yes, but psychologically definitely not. Being so isolated would have made her feel loads more vulnerable.
@@simonsimon325feeling vulnerable doesnt translate to how actually safe you are though. I fail to see the relevance of your comment.
I wasn't claiming a person's state of mind affects their actual physical safety level. The OP was suggesting her fear based on her isolated location was misplaced. I was making the point that her fear is purely psychological and not based on any actual pending physical threat. So my point is about how it might be logical that her isolation makes her safer, but her state of mind, which is what her fear is based on, thinks differently. Hope that helps clear it up.
Creepers and stalkers can hide and wait just anywhere. Her parked van at the beginning of the trail could give a hint also… However, I agree that cities are statistically more unsafe.
Lovely video, especially appreciated how honest you were the whole time with your experience. It's so refreshing not to just be glamorising the quietness, remoteness and stillness when having an experience like this but also include the anxiety you (might) feel as well as the rubbish (and worse) that other people had left behind in the open.
Also, maybe would've been more enjoyable if you were with a friend but I guess that could be another video of its own.
Yes I think it would have been a bit more relaxing to have company. Thank you for your support, I'm glad you enjoyed the video!
I used to feel anxious - camping out in my little tent many years ago - in State or National Parks in the US - when I was the only camper in an area. Wilderness versus city noises.
Some people fall asleep in the quiet - I often couldn’t.
If you ever Bothy-camp again - bring and donate candles. They gave YOU comfort - they will for someone else…
I definitely will bring candles next time! I had battery powered lights so hadn't considered bringing candles.
Thank you Ruth for sharing your adventures. Please find a companion to travel with. Safer!
Candles help absorb dampness. Especially in small areas. Peace!
I with a friend was once playing "Greensleeves" in the castle ruins, where Catherine Parr was imprisoned by Henry the 8th. It was thick fog. All of a sudden there was a raucous coughing behind us. Scared the living day lights out of us. It was a sheep.
Wow, that sounds scary! Thanks for sharing your story!
@ruthaisling It was a pleasure, thankyou for reminding me of the story. It was at high school and we had sneeked out of bounds over the school wall, during our school lunch break.
@@ruthaisling i think the coughing you heard might be of sheep too because at 25:27 i could see a heard of sheep passing by outside the window
@@mandvishukla5132ha it was indeed likely the sheep and not the infamous Coughing Bothy Killer after all
I went camping with a friend and one night he didn't close the tent flap properly. I was awoken by two sheep who had entered our tent and were trying to eat my sleeping bag. I can assure you that getting sheep out of a tent is no joke and they got quite bad-tempered at out attempts to shoo them out.
When we go somewhere new we always say you have to find where your coat peg is first. Once you get your bearings and make it homely you will settle in.
Yea, thanks for being candid and giving us your real feelings on staying there vs. feigning being totally fine w it all… I stayed in a really remote place recently and I was totally buggin’ out - no curtains!!
I can't believe she's even questioning herself for feeling anxious 😂
I love the countryside but this looks like an absolute nightmare.
I hope she makes it out in one piece!!
It’s ok, I did!!
@@ruthaisling this time you did , Maybe not next time honey , Dont do those things again or bring your husband next time
lol its Scotland not democratic republic of Congo
@@geronimotanto2229 Sometimes husbands are not protection but danger.
.....for me, the silence would be more overpowering than the isolation.
A great piece of honest filming.
You admitted you were scared, but you rose above it and conquered. Total respect.
😎☯️
Thank you 😊
No danger in Scotland unless your looking for it.
Well done Ruth it takes a sense of adventure and courage to do what you did. I'm a 59 yr old man in good shape but i admit i would be scared to do this too! Thanks for sharing.
Yeah, was thinking when she said that phone signal was available outside but not in, so as long as you can escape out of the Bothy, you might be able to get a call out for help should something happen . She is braver then I .
Agreed. The silence definitely
Not sure if you knpw thos, but that bothie has documented paranormal activity right here on youtube, doors open, chairs and objects move, door knocking...your gut instinct was picking up that energy and was spot on... good job you didn't know about it, and used your ear plugs eh?! 😂
Yikes! I hope she see your comment
A perfect opportunity for EVP 😊
Wow she’s very brave to stay there 😮 I sure couldn’t do that!
Go to 18:26, I think I saw an orb going down on the right side. Or maybe it's just a dust particle??? who knows haha.
@ yes I see it it almost looks like a feather 🤷♀️
14:53 When Ruth lit the candle, the reflection on the window almost gave me a heart attack because I thought something was outside the window 🥲
OMG. Thank you!!! I did too!!! It was super quick and no one else has said anything here, so I DID see it too!! SMH.
Same!!
I was just watching her talking let me go back and check that
Reminiscent of the Reformation where people would light a candle as a signal to others that it was safe to come and pray
I enjoyed this video. I'm from sunny Malaysia n can only imagine the crisp cold air of Scotland. The views r indeed expansive n stunning. Here we have an abundance of shady trees that block the views somewhat. Thanks for sharing your little adventure at the bothy Ruth.
I just watched a video by Happy Hippy Wild Living called "is the White Laggan bothy haunted?" He was hearing all sorts of noises. Someone kept knocking on the door but there was no-one there and he heard someone moving about in the other room, again no-one there. Worth a watch.
Instant subscribe! What a wonderful video. Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I've always wanted to do this myself, but i would also be so nervous. You did amazing, lighting the fire, cooking some soup, cozying down, fantastic! ☺️
Thanks for subscribing and welcome 🤗
I think you hit the nail on the head when you were getting ready for bed,when you said it's so remote..what's the chances of someone coming to this Bothy when you are there all alone..you are a hardy lass Rurh..you have a way bigger set than me..I couldn't do that..Kudos!!
this was amazing and so beautiful... but honesty there were times in this video where i genuinly thought this would've turned into a horror movie
Amazing!! Ruth doing a camping with Steve. Complete with a “Step 2”.
Rock on Steve AND RUTH!!!!
Great video! What would you do if someone else was staying at a Bothy? Do you share the place?
Yes, exactly. They are designed to sleep a number of people.
@@ruthaisling Thanks for letting me know. I had not idea things like this existed. Love your channel!
You are such a brave woman. I can never think of staying in such an abandoned place that too alone, not even in my dreams...
I know that bothy and have spent a night there with a friend. It is haunted and we experienced a strange happening. We also slept in the back room. As a precaution we balanced some empty tin cans on the door latch so if any person or animal managed to open the door they would fall to the ground and alert us. In the morning both our back packs had been opened and our clothes neatly folded and piled up in the other room. Also our empty coffee mugs had been placed upside down on the table. The tin cans were still on the door latch ! We have no idea how this happened.
Boo!
bullshit
That laundry folding ghost can haunt my house every day of the week and twice on Sundays
That laundry folding ghost can haunt my house every day of the week and twice on Sundays
@chrischarlton. You must have been smoking some really strong gear.
I don’t go off road, but with the right company, someone capable and strong, I think I’d love it.
Hello Ruth. I just discovered your channel a week ago and I cannot tell you how much I have enjoyed watching your videos. To stay in some of the places you have gone to takes a lot of courage to do. Most places are truly beautiful.
Thank you so much!
Spent weeks in bothies on Rhum in the 80's. Mice and rats are often a problem, leave snacks, dry goods etc in a biscuit tin. Good news, if there are mice there are rarely rats.
Always try leaving more (wood, candles etc.) than you brought.
I’ll bring candles with me next time! I heard the bothy at Rackwick beach also had a rat!
That's a fallacy. If there's mice, there's a high chance there's rats too. I was always led to believe that rats and mice very rarely infested the same place at the same time. That was until a few years ago, where the place i was living had both. The exterminator told me it happens far more regularly than we could imagine. If you have mice, then they attract rats, so it's important to rid your place of mice as quickly as possible.
I did notice all the droppings on the surfaces
Your darn right I would be anxious,and more. But I would probably not go and stay without asking someone to share the experience with me. You are brave, it’s always worth it in the end. 🇨🇦
This video has started me down an exciting journey (watching your videos)! Thank you for taking us on this magnificent journey with you! We appreciate your artistry!
No way would I ever stay there by myself. You're brave. It's so cozy yet absolutely terrifying.
Thank you, yes it was quite an experience - the cosy candles helped the vibe a bit.
Miss Ruth, you are one gutsy lady to stay in this Bothy. I don't think i have the guts to stay alone. Watching your video is like watching a drama unfolding, exciting yet scary.
I think the land definitely added to your sense of unease. The environment itself seemed to have a consciousness. At the risk of sounding dramatic, there are definitely spirits there.
Absolutely 💯
Nope
Scotland is a magic place ❤
@@geronimotanto2229 heehee--yep :) There most certainly are.
The people that you need to be wary of, are back in the city. People who make the effort to travel outdoors are usually very friendly and kind. There are exceptions of course. Last year in a bothy in Knoydart had to ask a group of middle class English people to return to their tents so that the rest of us could get our heads down. (I am English by the way) The fire incidentally is referred to as the bothy TV. Regarding the exceptional amount of waste around your bothy, I have recently bought a small device from a chap in Connecticut in the USA, called a backpacking bidet. It's a small attachment you can put on a water bottle. It takes 1-3 years for paper to degrade. One's own waste far less. This device therefore is far more environmentally friendly. Will be checking its value on my next trip north in May. Best wishes. Keep posting your videos. C.
I think anyone I’d met there would probably have been great! That sounds like an interesting idea, let me know how you get on with it!
People from my town were killed while camping in Arkansas
@@schex9Well, it *is* the "USA" - and I'm American.
I have a small portable Bidet (Pocket size). Much more hygienic than wiping and easy to use. Does a much better cleaner job. (Excuse the pun). Although, if you were outside in cold weather and the water in the Bidet bottle was freezing, that would be a shock.
Very sorry to hear about your townsfolk. Britain is a safer place than the USA, I think. We are not allowed to own guns except under very strict rules. I don't know anyone who has one and at 76 years of age I have never handled one. Similarly it is illegal to carry a knife. Although in our cities it is a problem with some youngsters. Best wishes. Charles.
Ruth, be safe. I'm telling you this as an American, please, be safe. There are a lot of crazies out there. Here in the States we have more options to defend ourselves. Please, truly, be safe.
We don't want to use guns in the UK
@@iliketowatchvideos47
switchblades work wonders, too.😊
@@iliketowatchvideos47
Ya usan las armas los inmigrantes que llegan ilegalmente.
Espera diez años, hermosa Europa nos aguarda.
Could watch you all day Ruth. Videos are so informative and you are so warm and natural. Love them. Thank you. X
Thank you ScottishT!
Great video! One thing -- It's not advisable to use a camping stove on a table where you're sitting. One bump and you'll have boiling water in your lap.
Good point, thanks!
Well said. 😊
Thank you for SHARING your adventure with us, Ruth! I'm so happy that YOU enjoyed it!
You are so welcome!
Have you ever considered getting some pocket sized rechargeable electric hand warmers to throw in your sleeping bag? I have had some of those & a solar powered power bank in my EDC for quite a while now. Definitely helps you stay toasty.
That is a fantastic idea, I've never thought to pop them in my sleeping bag, thank you for the suggestion!
@@ruthaisling You're quite welcome.
I have quite vague memories of staying in a lovely cosy bothy on Skye , the place was heaving, the fires hot .... i remember the cosy cramped feeling quite well . Now that i have moved north from the Lakes to Ayrshire, I am planning again wild nights and camps and walks . Thanks for the inspiration
I hope you get out there!
Your such a strong and brave lady I cannot think of myself to be all alone in the middle of forest staying overnight in bothy .No not even in my dreams. Lots of love and best wishes for Ur next upcoming videos. Love 💕 from India Darjeeling
You seem to be a nice and conscientious person. I wish you well.
Thanks 🙏
If you stay in an old building with a solid fuel fire you will hear all sorts of knocking and ticking noises from things expanding and contracting from warming and cooling. Others on the thread have listed wildlife that can make unfamiliar sounds outside as well as rodents and shrews inside. In those temperatures they would not be active but beetles can make a surprising amount of noise rustling about. Some use knocking to communicate with potential mates etc. All this is more noticeable when alone and anxious.
Interesting you talk about the weird noises you were hearing. If you look at the footage at approx 18.24 just after you say Tesco, the camera cuts back and shows you lighting your little cooker, at 18.27 look to the right of the window below the candle, around the height of the window sill, you will see a white shape appear out of thin air and it then descends down between the table and chair out of camera shot. To me this looks very much like paranormal activity, it isn't an "Orb", neither is it the string like entities I have seen else where, this appears to be almost like a snow flake. I'm not sure what others see, but this is my take on it. Loved your courage and sense of adventure, awesome.
Oh yikes 😧
That's dust
Yep. Saw it too. Definitely spirit activity.
feather or dust mate😅
@@MrHarmer19 I dunno, perhaps, it just looks a little odd to me, but you may be right.
There’s no way, I would be absolutely terrified and so uncomfortable! You’re really brave, well done 👏
I would love that the tranquillity and silence of the night with just the wisp of a breeze blowing outside and the occasional owl letting the guests know you are not really alone. Yes, book me a
Night. 😊😊
but there was no 'silence of the night'. she heard noises ! think i would bring a dog with me though.
Another great video you are certainly an intrepid adventure going off there. I would love to stay at a place like that, especially out there where it’s total silence and no people! The juxtaposition of the high technology drown with the landscape and the surroundings that takes you back 100 if not 1000 yearsis really sort of funny I picture all these ghost and spirits of Scott’s from the past and here we are running drones around! So very cool
There are no bears in Scotland. There are wild haggis. The Norwegian blue can be especially troublesome.
Nessie ate all the bears decades ago when nobody was looking 👀🏴
Ah yes the wild Haggis if you are really lucky you may get to see one speedily running around the mountains
😂😂
It's easy to spot the haggis as their legs are shorter on one side. This enables them to walk easily on hillsides, albeit in one direction only.
I live in England, Tesco does tinned Haggis, it simmers into mush, I like the taste it's nearly authentic. Handy filler when camping. (NO LEGS)
Ruth commented she was hearing noises at night and put her ear plugs in thinking it was paranormal-as another commenter mentioned who woke to find their clothes nearly folded, mugs upside down, and stove disassembled. I wish someone would stay here and leave a camera running all night! 👻
Pointless though as there's no evidence anything paranormal exists. Sure anyone can get freaked out, but that doesn't mean anything other than it being a you problem. It's cool to think about ghosts and such but they don't exist.
If you leave camera running, they would know it and won't move things.
I had all this in my house as well as in my mother's house.
When a place is empty, these things will move in.
@@maimsahb Yeah right - that's mighty convenient or rather stupid isn't it?
Consider this - you're a ghost. You are somewhat reticent to have people know you exist and only wan to appear to gullible people but not on camera? You see the excuse you're making here that doesn't add up?
Excellent...very brave I'm not sure I could do it, to answer your question...not without a large dog anyway 🐶
@@happyhermit2022 It says a lot about your state of mind frankly. I used to love ghost stories as a kid and living in the country would go looking round abandoned houses. In the end we stayed overnight a camped in them. I desperately wanted to to see something but nothing ever showed because it's utter bollocks.
After I realised basic criticial thinking, you know bugger all is going to unnerve you so I've camped in graveyards, and it's fine.
I had a panic attack when staying in my van on a dark night in Montana. So I can understand you being anxious. Place needs a different shovel. Love to you
Sorry to hear that, that's really tough 😥
Yes, a round-nosed shovel would work much better. Maybe somebody will provide one.
Oh bless you Ruth, you've got some bottle to do that? I really felt for you, watching the vid. You just looked so anxious. I was relieved when it was daylight and you said you were going to hike back. There is something about the Highlands, especially at night. Does give you feelings, you don't feel anywhere else the same.
The midges ate all the bears.
I often find first time in a new place will take me a while to get to sleep, once asleep I will easily sleep through thunderstorms and earth tremors.
Pitched tent and camped beside bothys in the past but weathers never been wild or wet enough to get me sleeping inside.
The midges probably did eat all the bears 😂
LOL
You're a brave one Ruth! No locks would have creeped me out going solo. The suggestion of leaving something in front of the door to make a noise is a good one. I think lose the ear plugs. Your hearing and a good bright flashlight are essential. Stay safe!
I wouldn’t have slept at all without the ear plugs! 😂😂
@@ruthaisling I wouldn't have slept! 😬
Nor me 😂
This bothy was a godsend on the Southern upland way which i completed 20 years ago.I had just endured one of the hardest days walk i have ever endured.Not because of the terrain but the awful weather strong winds and driving rain{it was July!}So glad to change into dry gear and cook some food.I will be leaving the MBA a legacy in my will.They are lifesavers.
The MBA is fantastic!
This bothy looks like white laggan bothy in dumfriesfire. Spent many a night there!!
Yes, that's correct. So, do you think it is haunted?