Author Topic: Snowdon: an ego trip?  (Read 2609 times)

ninthace

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Re: Snowdon: an ego trip?
« Reply #15 on: 12:02:21, 06/10/20 »

For me it is all about ego in that I walk just for my own entertainment and for the benefits of regular exercise.  Summits are not as important to me as the quality of the route.  I can happily bypass an actual summit altogether as I see summit bagging as "geographical trainspotting" - it does nothing for me to get to the exact top of a hill that is on some list and the view from near the summit is usually just as good.  I rarely take summit pictures, in fact, I do not take that many pictures at all as the only person I would show them to is usually with me at the time.


Because my reasons for walking are purely selfish, I do not normally read trip reports unless I have a special interest in the location, or have given advice about the trip and am curious how it turned out.  Similarly I do not normally write trip reports, it would be a chore and my trips are no more special or interesting than anyone else's, possibly even less.  I admit I do keep a fairly detailed walk log but it is my own amusement, not for bragging rights.  Nobody else needs to know where I have been, how far or how high I have been and I am not that bothered by other peoples achievements - we all do what we can in accordance with our abilities, interest and opportunity.
Solvitur Ambulando

GnP

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Re: Snowdon: an ego trip?
« Reply #16 on: 13:47:26, 06/10/20 »
Naaah you think you have lived...I`m not braggin` but.....
 when I was a lad , twenty of us slept in one bed , top to toe..our house was made of wood and we had to walk 30 mile just to get water .....then bring it back ..Gee it was a tough life .  ;) :D
A night under silnylon. Doesn't have the same ring to it.

ninthace

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Re: Snowdon: an ego trip?
« Reply #17 on: 14:19:01, 06/10/20 »
Naaah you think you have lived...I`m not braggin` but.....
 when I was a lad , twenty of us slept in one bed , top to toe..our house was made of wood and we had to walk 30 mile just to get water .....then bring it back ..Gee it was a tough life .  ;) :D
You think you 'ad it tough!  We lived in middle of t'road........https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKHFZBUTA4k
Solvitur Ambulando

BuzyG

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Re: Snowdon: an ego trip?
« Reply #18 on: 15:28:13, 06/10/20 »
You think you 'ad it tough!  We lived in middle of t'road........https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKHFZBUTA4k


I...., but you try an tell that t the young people of today.... Will they believe ye?

GnP

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Re: Snowdon: an ego trip?
« Reply #19 on: 15:28:29, 06/10/20 »
Some like to bag and then brag . If it makes someone feel good about themselves then so be it .
We are all different . One thing life`s taught me, is that we can never do it all , and if we think we have , there is always someone else who seems to have done more , that`s for certain . Whether that be mountains climbed or trails walked or just a life lived .

It`s nice to compare notes though with like minded people . It can validate us . If it comes off as bragging , then never mind ey .  :)
Ooops I`m getting a tad philosophical .
A night under silnylon. Doesn't have the same ring to it.

BrionyB

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Re: Snowdon: an ego trip?
« Reply #20 on: 16:55:07, 06/10/20 »
I've sometimes been tempted to 'blame' social media for the crowds on certain hills, but of course Snowdonia, the Lakes, etc. were popular tourist destinations long before there was any such thing, or even the ability for most people to take photos easily.


Interestingly, on a recent walk I found myself with no way to take pictures (didn't want to risk getting my camera wet so had brought my phone instead, but the battery didn't last). I was surprised to find myself thinking 'what's the point if I have no record of it/have nothing to post online/can't prove I did it'. But in the end it was actually a relief to be able to just focus on the walk and not worry about documenting every step.

Birdman

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Re: Snowdon: an ego trip?
« Reply #21 on: 18:19:42, 06/10/20 »

I can't know but I like to think that the majority of those paying 40k to be guided up the mountain these days, have wanted to climb it since they were young and only now have the means to attempt it. 


Nowadays, this is often a business decision. Many of the folks climbing Everest are influencers and motivational spreakers who do it to increase their marketvalue.

My travel and walking reports: https://www.hikingbirdman.com/

Birdman

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Re: Snowdon: an ego trip?
« Reply #22 on: 18:37:29, 06/10/20 »

Interestingly, on a recent walk I found myself with no way to take pictures (didn't want to risk getting my camera wet so had brought my phone instead, but the battery didn't last). I was surprised to find myself thinking 'what's the point if I have no record of it/have nothing to post online/can't prove I did it'. But in the end it was actually a relief to be able to just focus on the walk and not worry about documenting every step.


In the past, I have often travelled without even bringing a camera. I didn't want to 'experience' my trips through a camera lens and let taking pictures distract me.


However, I now regret having no records at all of many of the wonderful trips I made. Of many, I now only have vague memories. So in 2009 I have started to keep a diary and now I always bring a pocket camera. I started writing reports since then to keep my own memories alive and to have something to read when I get demented in the future. These are memories of the best things in my life so I don't want to lose them! I shared these reports (in pdf) format with a handful of friends and family, but recently I have posted them online too (after being encouraged by others).

My travel and walking reports: https://www.hikingbirdman.com/

richardh1905

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Re: Snowdon: an ego trip?
« Reply #23 on: 19:04:49, 06/10/20 »
Interestingly, on a recent walk I found myself with no way to take pictures (didn't want to risk getting my camera wet so had brought my phone instead, but the battery didn't last). I was surprised to find myself thinking 'what's the point if I have no record of it/have nothing to post online/can't prove I did it'. But in the end it was actually a relief to be able to just focus on the walk and not worry about documenting every step.


Long before the advent of mobile phones and digital photography, I would sometimes take a 35mm SLR on my walks, and I kept a hand written walking journal, which ran to 5 hardback volumes before I let it lapse in the 1990s. The photos languish in a plastic box in the under stairs cupboard, whereas I really enjoy dipping into my old journals - words can be so much more powerful at evoking memories than disjointed photographs.


Now of course we can have the best of both worlds - it is easy to incorporate photographs into an on line journal, otherwise known as a blog. If I forgot my phone or the batteries went flat I would perhaps be a bit disappointed, but I would still write an account without photos, and would still get pleasure from it in years to come. May not be of much interest to forum members without the photos, of course, but that is of secondary importance.
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BrionyB

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Re: Snowdon: an ego trip?
« Reply #24 on: 19:33:16, 06/10/20 »
Yes I agree it’s nice to have some record of a trip, if only for yourself (and it can be useful in planning future walks to be able to refer to notes and photos from the area).


But maybe sometimes it can also become a bit of a burden and a distraction from experiencing the present moment, or an intrusion of the (perceived) expectations of others. These things probably affect some people more than others.

Bigfoot_Mike

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Re: Snowdon: an ego trip?
« Reply #25 on: 21:27:32, 06/10/20 »
I have taken some photos of my walks, but the important ones are ingrained in my memory. I have never been one for a diary or writing logs. I usually separate my more serious walking and my photography.

Birdman

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Re: Snowdon: an ego trip?
« Reply #26 on: 08:38:24, 07/10/20 »

Now of course we can have the best of both worlds - it is easy to incorporate photographs into an on line journal, otherwise known as a blog. If I forgot my phone or the batteries went flat I would perhaps be a bit disappointed, but I would still write an account without photos, and would still get pleasure from it in years to come. May not be of much interest to forum members without the photos, of course, but that is of secondary importance.


Yes, it is bit like the old fashioned paper photo-album where you would stick your photos in and write some text underneath. They are great to have for your personal memories and the possibility to show them to interested friends and family.


But in the digital age, things get more messy. First of all, digital pictures don't cost money so you take (many) more of them. So now you don't have 24 or 36 photos of your holiday but hundreds/ thousands. That means you now need to select. So the best thing to do is make a nice selection that captures the spirit of the trip and add some text, to recreate the old fashioned photo-book/ scrap-book.


My travel and walking reports: https://www.hikingbirdman.com/

Birdman

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Re: Snowdon: an ego trip?
« Reply #27 on: 08:58:47, 07/10/20 »
Yes I agree it’s nice to have some record of a trip, if only for yourself (and it can be useful in planning future walks to be able to refer to notes and photos from the area).


But maybe sometimes it can also become a bit of a burden and a distraction from experiencing the present moment, or an intrusion of the (perceived) expectations of others. These things probably affect some people more than others.


Yes that is true! Personally, I don't enjoy taking pictures at all, but I want to have them to help me keep hold of the memories. The same is true for writing the diary. In the evening I'm often very tired and I just want to rest, but I force myself to spend 15 minutes or so to write. I now deeply regret that I didn't keep a diary on my adventures prior to 2009, because so many memories have been lost.


So, I see it as a small price to pay to enable me to retain more memories of the adventures. All these wonderful things that I am grateful to have experienced in my life are my most valuable "possession". But if my memory goes, they are lost...



My travel and walking reports: https://www.hikingbirdman.com/

richardh1905

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Re: Snowdon: an ego trip?
« Reply #28 on: 09:15:12, 07/10/20 »
I now deeply regret that I didn't keep a diary on my adventures prior to 2009, because so many memories have been lost.

So, I see it as a small price to pay to enable me to retain more memories of the adventures. All these wonderful things that I am grateful to have experienced in my life are my most valuable "possession". But if my memory goes, they are lost...


My missing years are from around 1990 to 2018. With a few exceptions, this was a lean period for photography and journal writing.


And I do enjoy a bit of photography, although not to the extent of it intruding upon the pleasure of a walk. I also enjoy writing my accounts of the walks that I do, trying to choose words carefully (like 'gaggle', April  ;) ), to make it interesting to read for myself and others. Plus I find that writing the account and sorting through the photos helps to reinforce the memory of the walk.
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forgotmyoldpassword

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Re: Snowdon: an ego trip?
« Reply #29 on: 09:25:25, 07/10/20 »
I've sometimes been tempted to 'blame' social media for the crowds on certain hills, but of course Snowdonia, the Lakes, etc. were popular tourist destinations long before there was any such thing, or even the ability for most people to take photos easily.


Interestingly, on a recent walk I found myself with no way to take pictures (didn't want to risk getting my camera wet so had brought my phone instead, but the battery didn't last). I was surprised to find myself thinking 'what's the point if I have no record of it/have nothing to post online/can't prove I did it'. But in the end it was actually a relief to be able to just focus on the walk and not worry about documenting every step.


Documenting every step for social media is something peculiar to some generations whilst others look on, confused as to why anyone should care.  Sadly it's becoming a 'virtual currency' and young kids get anxiety over the amount of 'likes' they get on their posts and delete them if they're unsuccessful - the need to put themselves on display in the name of engagement and connection, but really often a veneer for our performative image and vanity


Often you see this need to satisfy the ego creeping in when it comes to "aren't I great" content: themes like 'look how far I went', 'how fast I did it', and 'how great I looked' during the process.  In some respects this is why content which recognises it's audience and provides value to them is far more useful - mention your mistakes (everyone makes them), don't treat them as a method to puff up your ego (which comes across as insecure) but instead try to laugh at yourself a little.



Yes, it is bit like the old fashioned paper photo-album where you would stick your photos in and write some text underneath. They are great to have for your personal memories and the possibility to show them to interested friends and family.


But in the digital age, things get more messy. First of all, digital pictures don't cost money so you take (many) more of them. So now you don't have 24 or 36 photos of your holiday but hundreds/ thousands. That means you now need to select. So the best thing to do is make a nice selection that captures the spirit of the trip and add some text, to recreate the old fashioned photo-book/ scrap-book.
I've been doing a massive sort out lately and noticed just how little I've looked through most of those albums, in particular digital albums which end up as a black hole of hundreds of photos from various years.  Not quite sure how best to remedy this - a digital photo frame works for many people, have it somewhere prominent so you can see it of course, but it doesn't quite solve the problem with the sheer amount of photos you need to cull through.


To an extent this was why I wrote a trip-diary, rather than worry about having hundreds of photos I'd just end up ignoring several years (decades?) later I'd force myself to go through them, reflect a little, draw those memories out whilst they were fresh and try to capture the enjoyment in words.  Possibly also because there have been many amazing blogs I've read and I want to do something similar for my little patch of the world so I can persuade my grandkids I indeed did spend most of my free time climbing mountains (I assume my knees won't work by then so they'd be understandably doubtful)




 

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