ACTIVE OUTDOORS: John D Burns is feeling the heat in the depths of winter in his new book The Hot Tent Diaries
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When bothies were closed during the pandemic, outdoor author John D Burns had to find a new way to explore the remote parts of the Highlands.
His answer? A hot tent.
It might not be lightweight but these robust canvas tents, heated by a woodburning stove, really come into their own during the winter.
John, who has spent more than 40 years exploring the remote mountains of Scotland, has always been passionate about his adventures in the small mountain shelters known as bothies, situated all over the Highlands.
His previous book, Bothy Tales, shared some of his most memorable encounters as well as stories from around the fireplace in these sociable places.
“It was so difficult when bothies were closed," John said. "A lot of outdoor folk love these remote places and felt their closure acutely. I found using a hot tent gave me a way to get out into the remote areas in the hills, it gives me a great sense of freedom.”
Here, John – whose new book The Hot Tent Diaries tells of his trials and tribulations in trying to replace bothies – explains more about what the hot tent is and how he has used them to continue being close to nature in the Highlands.
What exactly is a hot tent and where does the idea come from?
The idea of a hot tent is new in the UK, but it is actually a very old concept. What makes a hot tent different from any other is that it is heated by a woodburning stove. There are many different designs but the one I use is a large canvas bell tent with a stainless-steel stove. The design is Scandinavian in origin and is based on the tents used by the nomadic Sami people who ranged around the Arctic circle.
The Sami are reindeer herders and they needed shelters that were portable but would be able to survive extreme weather and keep them warm in the depths of winter. That design also makes these tents perfect for camping in Highland winters. No matter how cold it gets I know my hot tent will keep me warm and dry. That makes them a great base for hillwalking.
Is this a set-up you are taking wild camping in the true sense of the phrase, taking all the kit with you into remote areas?
The hot tent is a compromise in that it is heavy so it’s not the sort of tent you can throw into the bottom of your rucksack and carry off into the hills. Even though the tent isn’t very portable it is still possible to camp in some remote areas.
I always try and get as far from the road as I can, even if that is only a few hundred yards. I like to wild camp away from dwellings and out of sight of the nearest road. It’s easy to find somewhere off the beaten track to camp.
The hot tent really comes into its own in winter when many parts of the Highlands are quiet. Even in remote areas, I am always careful to camp sensitively. I follow the Leave No Trace philosophy of camping which means I leave nothing behind apart from a patch of flattened grass.
How did lockdown and the closure of bothies give you the impetus to try this ‘new’ form of camping?
Spending nights in remote bothies, basic mountain shelters, has been a passion of mine for many years. I really enjoy the sense of being somewhere remote in an old cottage with its connections to the past and a way of life that has its roots in history. I always wonder who used to live in these places and what their lives must have been like.
The restrictions of the Covid-19 pandemic did two things. The first was the closure of bothies which, together with travel restrictions, meant that for all of us access to wild places was closed off. The second thing for me personally was that I realised just how important being able to spend time in remote places was.
When we were able to travel again, but bothies were still closed, I knew I had to find some way of spending my nights in the wild. I tried lightweight tents but they didn’t offer enough protection and, in the depths of winter, you can be confined to your sleeping bag in a small tent for many hours on a winter’s night.
The hot tent allows me to sit beside the stove – that’s a close as you can get to sitting beside a bothy fire.
What’s your preference – a bothy or the hot tent? (I’m assuming it’s a bit less sociable in the tent!)
That’s a hard question to answer. The hot tent and the bothy both have their advantages and disadvantages. The great advantage of a bothy is that it’s already in there and you don’t have to carry it. One of the joys of staying in bothies is the folk you meet – I’ve made many friends from random meetings in bothies.
A hot tent has the advantage that you can pitch it anywhere you want to go. This allows me to go places that I wouldn’t be able to if I was solely reliant on staying in bothies. The other advantage of the hot tent may be surprising. Hot tents are often a lot warmer than bothies. A hot tent warms up in a matter of minutes once you light the stove, whereas a bothy can take a long time to become warm enough to be comfortable. There is also the very practical advantage in these times of pandemics that it is your own space and its very solitude takes away the worry of transmitting or catching a virus.
In truth I think that I’ll keep using both bothies and my hot tent. They each have their own charms, I don’t think I’ll ever abandon either of them.
Where is the most spectacular setting you have stayed overnight in the hot tent?
There are so many places I’ve camped that are spectacular in their own way. I have some great memories. I remember looking out of my tent in Sutherland to find the whole sky lit up by the dance of the Northern Lights. Then there was the night I camped on the shore of Loch Arkaig and woke up to the spectacle of the water swathed in a mysterious rolling mist.
One of my favourite spots to camp is Kinloch Hourn. I love the way the hills plunge down from the summits right into the depths of the glen. It feels such a remote place. The Isle of Mull is another special place for me. I like to camp on the shore of the sea loch at the foot of Ben More. It’s the perfect combination of sea and mountain landscape.
Have you had any interesting wildlife encounters while staying in the tent?
Perhaps it’s because the tent simply appears overnight. It seems to surprise wildlife in ways a fixed building doesn’t. During the rut I’ve had occasions where stags have stood beside my tent roaring and bellowing. That can be a very disconcerting way to wake up in the morning.
I’ve also had a few attempted break ins. Once from a fox and another from what I think was a badger. There are some disadvantages from being that close to nature.
What’s next for you in terms of outdoor adventures or challenges? Is there a new book idea on the horizon?
I’d love to take my tent further afield. There are so many places I want to go. My dream would be to take the tent north of the Arctic circle. That would be a fantastic experience, especially in winter. I used to be an avid ice climber and the cold still fascinates me. I would love to spend a night at -20 C, just for the hell of it.
Every time I think I’ve written my last book about the hills and my wanderings, something else inspires me. I don’t know what I’ll write about next. I guess my next book will find me one day – that’s the exciting part.
- The Hot Tent Diaries is available now, priced £10.99.
