Bothy Tales cover art

Bothy Tales

Footsteps in the Scottish Hills

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Bothy Tales

By: John D. Burns
Narrated by: John D. Burns
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About this listen

Author shortlisted for the Great Outdoors Book of the Year. John D. Burns is an award-winning mountain author.

I can move only with the aid of barrels of anti-inflammatory gel, sticking plasters, and real ale anesthetic. Martin and I descend from hours of walking to the small town of Middleton-in-Teesdale. I walk, stiff-legged, into the campsite office, and a plump, middle-aged woman looks up from her desk and can see the old timer is in trouble.

“Oh, what a shame you weren’t here last week,” she says, pity radiating from behind her horn-rimmed specs. “You’ve missed him.”

I look at her, puzzled.

“Elvis!” she explains. “You missed Elvis.”

Oh God, now I’m hallucinating.

From remote glens deep in the Scottish Highlands, John D. Burns brings a new volume of tales - some dramatic, some moving, some hilarious - from the isolated shelters mountain people call bothies. Travel with Burns to secret places hidden amongst the British mountains and share his passion for the wonderful wildness of our uplands. Meet the vivid cast of characters who play their games there - from climbers with more balls than sense to a young man who doesn’t have the slightest idea what he’s letting himself in for!

©2018 John D. Burns (P)2020 John D. Burns Climbing & Mountaineering Outdoors & Nature Travel Writing & Commentary Highlander Funny Witty

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All stars
Most relevant
A great book that just made me yearn to get back to a bothy.

Great listen

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Having enjoyed The last hillwalker I was keen to give this a try. The story is entertaining enough but not quite as good as the first book. Sadly the audio is terrible. It’s really badly read, lots of mistakes and errors. Not a professional job at all. I’d strongly recommended the physical book rather than listening to John stumble his way through his book in a clumsy often embarrassing fashion.

A decent book but an terrible listen.

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Really enjoyed this audio book, which is very funny in places. The production is not exactly slick - I thought he’d recorded it in a bothy until I heard a phone ringing in the background. Works well though.

Great writing and narration

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This is an entertaining enough book and John D Burns is a good reader. It sounds as though he recorded it in his bathroom - the acoustics are poor in places. More problematic is the occurrence of two mentions of the Ku Klux Klan, which Burns employs as similes in what he inexplicably thinks is humour. Inappropriate and offensive — and why he feels these references ‘fit’ in a book about walking and bothies primarily set in Scotland, is anyone’s guess. They spoiled both the book and the author for me.

Amusing but flawed

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What a treat! Really interesting and funny. I felt the pain walking through the wet peaty bog and was minded never attempt a walk on such terrain.

Really enjoyable

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