After flooding - walkers - I spent some time in the Teesdale Mountain Rescue team, and actually we spent much more of out time looking for dependants and victims of Alzheimer’s than walkers - and on the odd occasion we looked for a walker the problem was much more likely to be a heart attack than hypothermia! I would agree with Tom, I am struggling to think of many people that I have met on the hills that have not been very pleasant and friendly - albeit somewhat confused by the entire concept of SOTA.
In terms of risk I am much more concerned by the shape of many of our youngsters that I see in schools that appear to my non-medical eyes to be on track for type 2 diabetes. We all ought to be encouraging youngsters to get out and get fit! One of my colleagues pointed out once that if a “chap” broke a leg playing a proper sport like “Rugby” or a hand playing “Cricket” they were a hero, but to twist ones ankle on a hillside promotes you to the ranks of a “Bloody Fool…”
Then Carbon - My son again informs me that “You are not normal for a fifty year old” in that I consider it - and also release much, much too much. Like it or not Sota isn’t really very green as apart from getting to “The Cloud” public transport options are a bit limited. I’m not sure you would need a video if you wanted to use public transport to reach the North Pennine fells - a better bet would be the use of a time machine to the days when there was either a railway or bus service…
And finally dogs - after spending most of the last 57 years not really being very much bothered by dogs (although if you do get lost on a hillside 1 dog on a search is as effective as about 15 searchers) we now have one and I am converted. He is on a lead due to probably our rather inept attempts at training him - and his very headstrong nature. I do try and keep him away from others on the hillside and shorten the lead when others are nearby. I am less enthusiastic doing walkies in the morning on a work day at 6-10 AM but in terms of SOTA it has improved my fitness no end!
Although currently very difficult an “off grid” endosement for only powering the radio with renewable energy. I know that at the moment it would be a stretch with rucksack worn solar panels but as the technology improves it might be possible. Wind power might have worked on Lords Seat today
Well, since this is shaping up to be a first-class grump thread, I will add that I sympathise with flood victims because in my own small way I suffer floods every year. My back garden shares a hollow with three other gardens and the subsoil is impervious, it floods every time we get a prolonged rainy spell, surrounding gardens drain into it, and from November to March half the garden is out of bounds, and every time the dog comes back in I’m on my knees cleaning muddy paws. That’s my grump, who’s next?
What is the point in this comment? How could anyone have data on my opinion? Not having data doesn’t make it untrue. Of course it is hyperbolic, like the rest of the thread.
As for being sniffy about what people wear in the hills, I never said they needed expensive specialist clothing. I used to wear army surplus boots and an army surplus jacket. They are both suitable clothing. Don’t try and make out I was being elitist. Suitable clothing is more cheaply available than ever.
The thin fashion trainers and sandals, t-shirts in the rain (with no warm clothing), the lack of a map and compass, are all inexcusable in the high hills. I have seen all of that on Snowdon multiple times on every trip. I had to help two guys in Tryfan in the fog when google maps on their smartphones wasn’t helping. My kids picked up the rubbish from them unpacking their new waterproofs.
To answer the other comment, local mountain rescue list ‘unsuitable footwear’ a lack of navigation equipment and lack of a torch as the main reasons for having to fetch people off Tryfan. I recall the same week I was there a poor guy from mountain rescue broke his leg trying to rescue people who had no map, no torch and bad footwear.
Incidentally as far as people being rude to me in the hills, I can recall plenty of people being rude to me while I was riding a bike courteously… same as in town. Perhaps this is the normal distaste some people have for others enjoying themselves. I remember clearly a guy having a go at me for going too fast…apparently me slowing down to a crawl had made my brakes squeak slightly which startled him. You read that right, told me off for riding too fast when i had slowed to a walking pace to pass him, because his family were walking spread across a whole track and blocking it. That is normal tbh, people seem to think fun is a kind of vandalism.
This is excellent post-Christmas therapy. Come on folks, join in the the fun and get it off your chest - whatever it is - walkers, runners, cyclists, motorists, dogs, cats, tortoises or even those appalling rotters the SOTA Management Team!
Fill your boots.
(BTW, I’m going to bed, right now… I’ll leave this lot in the more-than-capable hands of the Moderator).
