Monday, September 8, 2014

Munroing by accident

This is the way to climb mountains. Not to aim for it, but as part of an afternoon stroll, sometimes accidentally arriving at the top, sometimes stopping just short of it, sometimes exploring some other aspect of the hill. Mountains corrupt our minds. They make us think that we need to strive for something, to reach the top, any top, that we have to work hard, suffer for a while and will be rewarded at the end, basically a geographic version of protestantism. Perhaps not coincidentally, the concept of mountains as a destination was invented during the rise of capitalism. As I arrive on Gabhar, I feel neither elation nor pride, I'm just glad to have reached the relative shelter of the huge cairn. Really, why would anyone want to be here, I mean, at this specific spot, and not at some other place a few meters or kilometers away? Just for the view? Why on earth would I want to look at all that stuff?


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