The tale of Britain’s bothies recalls a wider debate about pain versus pleasure in travel. The idea that eschewing comfort makes for a better experience is deeply ingrained in the literature of travel. The mediaeval xenodochium, a wayside hostel for pilgrims, was hardly a comfy place. Many writers saw journeys as metaphors for spiritual progress. If the Desert Fathers could survive with few creature comforts why should devout pilgrims expect more?