Memories – of bothy days with a special Dog

Garbh Corrie Bothy in the Cairngorms.

Doing some research for my Mountain Bothies Chat I found some more great photos of the bothies and many were with my dog and team members of the RAF Mountain Rescue. The East  photo shows the magic wee bothy in the Cairngorms on a big West to  trip that I could not get time off for. Teallach had a great few weeks and enjoyed some incredible days. He was that good on the hills and with people he would go with the troops even if I was not there. This was about 1983 ? Teallach was in his prime and I was stuck at work yet I managed a few days with them, he stayed and loved it.

Teallach at Shenevall with Joe and Ned Kelly.

Few would know there was a dog in the bothy usually he would sit outside until the fire was going. He then would just get comfortable as near the fire as possible and fall asleep. He would steam in the heat and once in the famous Ossian Youth Hostel (not really a bothy but shut in winter and we had access on a big walk) he went under the stove and nearly caught alight as the fire built up and the old stove was glowing. I can still smell his singed hair! What a dog.

Sourlies Bothy on the West Coast. What memories.

The only bad day I had in a Mountain bothy was at Sheneval in the North West. It was after a huge day An Teallach and the then 6 Munros in a day, one of the boys was struggling. I went ahead to the bothy to get a brew on and on arriving at the bothy I was told that there was no room, the bothy was full. It was late about 2200 and the group in the bothy about 8 of them, they had all been drinking. I was not in the mood for any hassle and you always make room its in the unwritten bothy code. One idiot even said they had booked the bothy for their sole use. I was mad and went upstairs and “decanted” their bags down the stairs ” there is room now I said” There was a bit a stand off and then they saw the dog at the top of the stairs in the gloom. Now “Teallach” was a big Alsation but there was not one bit of aggression in him but he unlike me looked the part. After that the night was peaceful and we all got in the bothy and an apology in the morning from a chastened group !

Would you mess with this Dog?

Miss you old mate !