Bothies lend themselves to adventures. They are perfect for a night in the wilds, the fire a welcome retreat when the stargazing is done. Their isolation is a large part of the attraction for many: a welcome shelter after a day's hard walking.

It's odd setting off for a walk without knowing where you are going. We had maps, and the risk of getting lost in Somerset is small (and not particularly worrying), but it was still a new experience to get off the train and think: which way? This was partly our own indecisive fault.

There's a simple trick to enjoying the Lake District's busier routes: start at lunchtime. The hordes not only all head for the same few hills, but all set off at the same time. At 9am, the start of many popular routes resembles rush hour on the London Underground as people jostle for space to pull on boots, stuff rucksacks and browse maps.