I certainly wouldn't publicise the bothies.
Although most are available through the MBA site.

I'm sorry, but I don't get this MBA exclusionary business.

If you're through wild country, and there's shelter available, then signs on that you're going to want to know where it is. Simples.

If the MBA shelters are currently sacrosant, and this may prejudice walkers chances of shelters, then that's on their conscience, not mine.

I've no idea how the MBA operate. To my mind a shelter is a shelter. I would imagine that no-one - apart from a reckless individual/organisation - would knowingly conceal the location of a bothy/shelter.

Frankly, the organisational maintainance of a shelter is of no interest whatsoever per se. What's of crititical interest to the wider community of walkers/climbers/bimblers is whether the structure exists.

I've no idea whether the MBA choose to conceal the locations of their currently maintained bothies - if indeed this is the case.

If these locations can be freely identified by OS map reference and accessed, then my apologies.

We may choose to support the work of the MBA by direct financial donations. But, equally, we should demand that all bothy sites are freely accessable within the public domain.

I beleive that we've progressed far from the tired old machisimo model - red socks, no grrls,beards at all times.

Access to our hills and mountains must be free to all - and this includes access to all structured shelters where available.

Humphrey - calm down!

The MBA now publicises the Grid Ref of all of its bothies on its website. The MBA does not own any of its bothies - which are open to everyone - but used to only make the locations known to members.

The historical "secrecy" regarding publicising the location to non-MBA members arose, I believe, from a concern that "undesirables" would seek out the easy-to-get-to bothies and either vandalise them or leave them in a nasty condition. There was never a suggestion that anyone who needed the shelter would be denied access in any way.

Nowadays - with aerial photographs, web-forums, Geograph etc, it would be pointless trying to keep the GRs private as they're so easy to find.

Judith
(MBA member - but all views are my own etc)

Thank you Judith - I stand corrected and am calmed, balmed and utterly chilled. My wrong entirely. As ever I was far too hasty to make a comment - I came to rant and stayed to pant . . .

Seriously, I'm delighted that there is now open access, and apologise once more if it appeared that I've impugned in any way the excellent work of the MBA. My views were entirely my own, and I thank you for clarifying the current position.

AND whats wrong with red socks,..... and knee length hairy tweed breeks like wot the discerning hill goer has worn for many a year???

I think this will be fine to post here. A link to the map can be found at

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=201930060137541595591.0004cd0f0254de09f84b4

What I did not want to do was make this publically searchable from directly within google maps.

Robert

Thanks, maybe very helpful especially to first time Challengers.