Music On The Hill ?

[JTweedie]

I don't listen to music on the hills because I like the sound of nature as well as appreciate the silence, and to give my mind a chance to wander without too many distractions.

I don't have a car just now, but when I did, I would only listen to music in short bursts in it too - there's something about driving in total silence that is also relaxing.

However, I listen to music at almost every opportunity. A good time for it is the night before a walk to help me get in the mood for it - Boards of Canada, Sigur Rós, Jónsi, Björk, The Knife, Fever Ray, Aphex Twin, Explosions in the Sky, Brian Eno, Mogwai, Roddy Woomble, Radiohead, Galaxie 500 are all good for thinking about the great outdoors.

Once home after a walk, I like to listen to Smashing Pumpkins, Pavement, early REM, Arcade Fire or just about anything with a quickening of the tempo and the volume starting to reach number 11.

[agentmancuso]

I listen to my ipod for best part of two hours every day driving to work and back, but I would never walk wearing it. Just wouldn't seem right for some reason. I tend to listen to Radio 3 on the way out to the the hills on a Saturday morning, and football on Radio Scotland on the way back

[Craigellachie]

I once climbed up a snowy gully on Sgurr Alasdair (highest peak on Skye) listening to music from a walkman in my pocket with wee speakers clipped to my rucksack straps. Pink Floyd's 'Echoes' and 'Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun' were particularly apt, as I struggled up in shadow toward a glimpse of sunlit snow at the top. The Stones Gimme Shelter and Sympathy For The Devil also seemed particularly in keeping with the situation... A bloke I met at the top seemed especially pleased to recognise Echoes. It's what Al Rouse called "The blending of two rocks..."
We had a long, entertaining thread on this very subject a couple of years back but it seems to have disappeared - Moderator? How VERY DARE you!

Surely your mistaken Old Man as I remember it your speakers were booming out I am in the Moood For Dancing by the Nolans........ or was it YMCA? I forget now..........

[Graeme D]

An ipod?

Is that the thing thats like a sony walkman? I can never work out how to get the tapes into it!

Music on the hills a big no no for me - but each to his own.

The Music choice for the drive is part of the whole pre-walk ritual though. Depending on mood could be anything. Steve Hackett, Warren Zevon, Christy Moore, The Smiths, The Big Dish, Johnny Cash, and many others the ipod generation wont have heard of are big favourites .

Ah, Zee Beeg Deesh (as they were known across the Channel in the early 90's)........ That takes me back....

Well, since my iPod was reclaimed by it's lawful owner, I've been musicless on the hills. To be honest though, that's the way it should be. The hills are alive, with the sound of nature....... I did used to to pop the sounds in my tent at night but to be honest, as far as weird noises in the middle of nowhere at 3am are concerned, I'm not sure about the "ignorance is bliss" school of thought. Think I'd rather know about the demons coming! Give me a fighting chance if I can just get my hands on the spork.....

[pollyh33]

The reason I don't listen to music on the hills is due to me being frightened that I miss someone's cry for help! Can you imagine how awful it would be to be within a few feet of some stricken person and walk right by them????

Fair enough they would probably be hoping for someone a bit more able than me but beggars cannae be choosers!

Oh and I don't fancy the idea of someone creeping up behind me either

[Rekrab]

i'e been known to pop some Choonz on when trekking in to Glen cronnish to get to Ben Lui or on other Long Glen walks Like Beinn dearg (Fannichs). music helps speed up those big 3 hour flat walks through boggy glens.
there's only so much noise of burns, waterfalls, rivers, and sheep that one man can take!!

MacKenzie.

[Oldman]

Music on the hill? I find that my record player is a bit heavy to carry and besides there's nowhere to plug it in. Ipod? Walkman? Mp3 player? What are they? Mind you when I get home there's nothing quite like 'Clair de Lune' - Ahh!! Debussy at his most mysterious. On the hill however my real music is the sound of nature and that wonderful SILENCE which is the best music ever.

[Caberfeidh]

I once climbed up a snowy gully on Sgurr Alasdair (highest peak on Skye) listening to music from a walkman in my pocket with wee speakers clipped to my rucksack straps. Pink Floyd's 'Echoes' and 'Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun' were particularly apt, as I struggled up in shadow toward a glimpse of sunlit snow at the top. The Stones Gimme Shelter and Sympathy For The Devil also seemed particularly in keeping with the situation... A bloke I met at the top seemed especially pleased to recognise Echoes. It's what Al Rouse called "The blending of two rocks..."
We had a long, entertaining thread on this very subject a couple of years back but it seems to have disappeared - Moderator? How VERY DARE you!

Surely your mistaken Old Man as I remember it your speakers were booming out I am in the Moood For Dancing by the Nolans........ or was it YMCA? I forget now..........

Ah yes, poor auld Craigellachie ; he can't listen to his favourite tunes coz you just can't get an Edison cylinder anywhere these days...!

[jstalker66621]

No music whilst walking for me...but the drive back seems to be dominated by The Boss recently...or Snow Patrol...even Elvis and Dean Martin have had airings in the car recently

[SouthernUplandKing]

No music whilst walking for me...but the drive back seems to be dominated by The Boss recently...or Snow Patrol...even Elvis and Dean Martin have had airings in the car recently

Yeah, The Boss is always good for a drive. Working On A Dream dominates my head when I think of driving North with my dad. Outlaw Pete always makes me think of hot, sunny day's and lots of light beaming through the windows !

[agentmancuso]

..On the hill however my real music is the sound of nature and that wonderful SILENCE which is the best music ever.

There's a lot of sense in that.

[stomper]

No music whilst walking for me...but the drive back seems to be dominated by The Boss recently...or Snow Patrol...even Elvis and Dean Martin have had airings in the car recently

Yeah, The Boss is always good for a drive. Working On A Dream dominates my head when I think of driving North with my dad. Outlaw Pete always makes me think of hot, sunny day's and lots of light beaming through the windows !

Ahhhh the Boss THE BOSS. YES AGREE theres nothing like listening to THE BOSS when driving specialy when you are listening to him LIVE. Thats why i love coming up to THE PROMISED LAND to do the munro's and when out camping out at night on my own doing the munro's i love to go DANCING IN THE DARK and when in my tent and in my sleeping bag i like to be WORKING ON A DREAM and when i get cold i tell my sleeping bag to COVER ME

[Rekrab]

there has been mention of walk mans, mp3 players, ipods, and record players. but no one has mentioned the Discman!!!! remember those!!!

MacKenzie.

[Kevin29035]

there has been mention of walk mans, mp3 players, ipods, and record players. but no one has mentioned the Discman!!!! remember those!!!

MacKenzie.

That's dinosaur man.. but I remember being five years old and listening to Dodgy (anyone remember them?) on cassette and those groovy 90's headphones.

[dooterbang]

Check out 'The Low Places' by Jon Hopkins.

Jon Hopkins - sleepwalker is a great track, as is circles.

Hey Kev have you checked out his collaboration with King Creasote?
Fantastic album.

There playing ABC end of January as part of Celtic Connections - and i'm going


No music on the hills for me but essential for the drive. Electronic all the way, Isan, Solvent, Jon Hopkins, Caribou, Biosphere, Ladytron....you catch my drift