Author Topic: Urbanisation  (Read 6508 times)

Emma22

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Urbanisation
« on: 13:31:31, 10/02/08 »
Hello,
 Regarding recent accidents mountains in the UK, specifically Snowdon, I wondered what people's thoughts are on signposting/ the cafe/ train, do these make it seem easier for walkers? Or make it feel urbanised and put people off due to high numbers people going there?

mike knipe

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Re: Urbanisation
« Reply #1 on: 20:52:05, 10/02/08 »
Its true that I'm definately put off visiting certain areas because of their popularity. I woudlnt go to Malham or to anywhere in the lake District on a summer Sunday or a bank holiday, for instance. This is probably quite a good thing, though  if you think about it because it limits the crowds, to some extent.  (Nobody goes there because its too crowded!!!)
I dont think that the urbanisation of Snowdon has much to do with the number of accidents by making the place seem easier. Other hills, which don't have all the "furniture" that Snowdon has,  such as Helvellyn or Ben Nevis also have their fair share of accidents. I suspect that the reason is because there are more people there to have accidents. Out of every X thousand people, somebody is going to trip up, get a chest pain or otherwise do themselves a damage. Its just statistics. (I think!)
Interesting question, though.
Some kind of happiness is measured out in miles

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Snowman

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Re: Urbanisation
« Reply #2 on: 11:42:32, 17/02/08 »
I'm not sure if the 'urbanisation' contributes to the popularity very much.    I think that Snowdon gets it high share of unprepared walkers because it's the highest in Wales/one of the three peaks.

In fact the ease of access makes it a bit of a pain.    My only visit to the summit of Snowdon was while walking the Cambrian Way.    This trail does have a route, but its creator states that it is only necessary to achieve certain checkpoints and the route can vary, so we stayed the night at Rhyd Ddu and then went up by the Rhyd Ddu Path and back down via the Miner's track.    We had made a habit of taking photographs at each checkpoint, but had to wait about 10 minutes to do so on Snowdon as a train had just arrived and it was full of people sporting walking boots and poles taking pictures of each other on top of Snowdon.    We had to wait our turn.

However we did see a perfect example of what causes accidents on the way down.   We were just approaching Glaslyn when we encountered a young couple on their way up.    Now the girl looked like she was ready for a night's clubbing rather than an ascent of Snowdon.    She asked us plaintively if it was far to the top, to which I replied no, forgetting to mention that while it wasn't far in distance, it was a fair bit of a climb.    I reckon the boyfriend was going to be out of luck that evening.

But why were they there?    Because of the name.    Now how many people do  you know of who have made a beeline for Carnedd Llewelyn?    In fact how many people do you know who have even heard of it?    Yet it's the second highest mountain in Wales (using the Marilyns list).    In summary, I think it's the name/notoriety that gets people up these mountains.

Mind you, having said that the plethora of places to stay near Snowdon must contribute to its popularity, but which came first?    I'm sure people only started setting up B&Bs because of the demand.

S.

howardfernlover

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Re: Urbanisation
« Reply #3 on: 22:57:57, 25/02/08 »
Signposting etc most definitely puts me off.  It's one of the things that puts me off the Lake District for example, you see these twee wooden fingerposts everywhere. They're certainly urbanisation in my view.
Been to Aber Falls lately? The restored path to them is now nearly as wide as a road, extra steps prevent legs from having to stretch too far, and just downstream of the falls there's a smart wooden footbridge to help you over the river without any danger of getting your feet wet.
I've walked in most parts of Snowdonia over the years, but I've done Snowdon itself the least.  The national park is a big area, and while I don't mind meeting the occasional other walkers, there's no way I want to be in a two-way crocodile of people, as I experienced on the Llanberis Path on a September Wednesday.
On a camp site last year, I came across a small group of twenty-somethings who had travelled from South Wales specifically to go up Snowdon. They didn't know where it was, where to start from or how to get there, and I had to give them a brief summary of the various routes!

mike knipe

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Re: Urbanisation
« Reply #4 on: 01:30:51, 26/02/08 »
The difference between Snowdonia and the Lakes is that Snowdonia has pylons.
You cant spoil a place that has pylons with a few wooden signposts>:(

The signs are a bit twee, though aren't they?
« Last Edit: 08:22:14, 26/02/08 by mike knipe »
Some kind of happiness is measured out in miles

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howardfernlover

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Re: Urbanisation
« Reply #5 on: 10:55:43, 26/02/08 »
True, but from a distance or a great height they're not so noticeable, and I think on balance I'd rather look down on them than the little little green agricultural fields that always seem to be in the view in the Lakes.

What I think really spoils Snowdonia is quantity of new fences that have gone up all over the national park in the last couple of years.  I would guess it's the result of an EU subsidy.  Crossing even the remotest hills and moors, they're everywhere.  They're all made of exactly the same shiny grey-green wire, and detract greatly from the wildness of the area.

Snowman

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Re: Urbanisation
« Reply #6 on: 11:42:24, 26/02/08 »
Quote
What I think really spoils Snowdonia is quantity of new fences that have gone up all over the national park in the last couple of years.  I would guess it's the result of an EU subsidy.  Crossing even the remotest hills and moors, they're everywhere.  They're all made of exactly the same shiny grey-green wire, and detract greatly from the wildness of the area.

It's not just Snowdonia, they've been appearing all over the place in the Cambrian Mountains too.    Sometime right across a public footpatch.

S.

steve

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Re: Urbanisation
« Reply #7 on: 15:10:09, 10/03/08 »
On Saturday I went to the Pen Y Pas. It was a day when climbing a stile would involve serious risk assessment due to the strength of the wind, it was also chucking it down and looking like staying that way. At 9.30 I took the last place in the car park. Sunday saw me in the Arans on a beautiful clear but wintry day, the view point car park was empty and I saw no one else all day.
I think you could take away the cafe, the railway, the paths and the way markers and Snowdon would still be what it is [1085m?] and covered in people many of them ill equipped and so also ill informed and vulnerable to accident and incident.
I stayed at the excellent Snowdon Ranger Hostel and would share this quote from the book I found in the lounge, The A-Z of Wales and The Welsh [?] '.....Snowdon is the highest mountain, except Ben Nevis, in the British Isles......'

 

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