MBA chairman Simon Birch watches as Bernard and Betty Heath cut the anniversary cake. Photo: Richard Spencer/MBA
The man who founded the organisation that looks after Britain’s mountain shelters joined members to celebrate the charity’s 50th anniversary.
Bernard Heath cut a cake at a gathering in Newtonmore to mark the Mountain Bothies Association’s 50 years, helped by his wife Betty who is also a member.
The MBA’s first restoration project was at Tunskeen in the Galloway Forest, undertaken by Bernard Heath and his friends. The association now looks after almost 100 bothies in Scotland, Wales and England.
Mr and Mrs Heath said: “We are both thrilled and greatly honoured to cut the cake.
“We can’t believe such an ocean of time has gone by since that so well remembered inaugural meeting in Dalmellington in 1965. We wondered then where the MBA would go and are so pleased that it has thrived. We hope that it goes on for ever.”
The charity and has about 3,700 members. With the consent and support of their owners, it undertakes the restoration and maintenance of old cottages, huts and similar buildings throughout the wilder parts of Britain for use as open shelters for walkers and other outdoor enthusiasts. Many of the buildings that are cared for by the MBA would otherwise have become derelict.
All of the restoration and maintenance work is undertaken by volunteers and is financed entirely by member subscriptions and by donations. In 2014, the Association spent more than £44,000 on maintenance activities at 59 bothies and volunteers contributed over 1,152 working days.
Geoff Kennaugh
24 November 2015I enjoyed this. I remember Bernard in Summer of 1965 when our Scout group of half a dozen of us stumbled upon Bernard inTunskeen where he offered us shelter by his fire!
It was much appreciated and I looked out my notebook from the time and was very amused to read again our first impressions.
We did not know at the time we were seeing history in the making.
Great to see him still involved.
David Johnstone
09 December 2015I organised the venue and catering for the inaugural meeting in Dalmellington. Started in our Scout hall (hut), but due to the numbers attending, moved up to the Church Hall.
First Met Bernard on his way through Dalmellington in early summer 1965. We were at a week-end camo at Lamloch Farm, and he stayed over night. First time I had ever seen someone put honey and sugar on their porridge in the morning. I was Scout Leader and Tom Riggans was the Group Leader. We helped organise the local fishing clubs and Civil defence, together with many scouts to transport the first materials to the Tunsheen for the rebuild.
Tom had a roll in the organisation at the beginning, but it grew to large.
Very proud to have been in at the start of the MBA, and good to see Bernard still on the go.
Steve wigggett
12 March 2017How about this then! I was also part of that group of bedraggled scouts who used Tunskeen back in 1965. We were in trouble all right. The weather closed in on Merrick. Rain and cold were taking their toll on us. Despite the difficulties, I have this abiding memory of rounding a hilltop and seeing a mignificent highland stag through the rain just standing there. Unbelievable! The light was fading and, quite honestly, we were lost. Our leader spotted a plume of smoke in the distance, and that's where we were heading alright. It was you Bernard. Fire going in half a bothie. We knew which half to go in. I seem to remember a bicycle with panniers and cement. That was an introduction to the infant MBA. I think we gave you a bit of help the next day with the rebuilding. The best nights sleep ever, warm and dry. I've had a long and basically happy life, and on reflection, I'm not too sure that this experience was the one and only occasion when I thought I could actually die. You could say that MBA saved me. Geoff Kennaugh was part of that group too. I'm 67 now, I was 15 then. Unforgettable.
Thank you Bernard.
Steve Wiggett