walkhighlands

This forum is for general discussion about walking and scrambling... If writing a report or sharing your experiences from a route, please use the other boards.

‘New walkers’ on the hills.

‘New walkers’ on the hills.


Postby paulG2 » Sun Jul 12, 2020 6:24 pm

Hi everyone
I was in Arrochar the other day and it was busier than I have ever scene it. I have been walking for 10 years. Anyway, I was wondering if people agree that it’s busier than usual and why thoughts on why might be the cause ? Essentially has Coronavirus made hillwalking appealing to a whole new generation?

Paul
paulG2
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 89
Munros:172   Corbetts:25
Fionas:1   Donalds:9
Joined: Mar 10, 2014

Re: ‘New walkers’ on the hills.

Postby jmarkb » Sun Jul 12, 2020 6:33 pm

Perhaps. Or maybe the lack of other options for things to do on the weekend means that occasional walkers are doing more.
User avatar
jmarkb
Mountaineer
 
Posts: 5857
Munros:246   Corbetts:105
Fionas:91   Donalds:32
Sub 2000:46   
Joined: Oct 28, 2011
Location: Edinburgh

Re: ‘New walkers’ on the hills.

Postby iain_atkinson_1986 » Sun Jul 12, 2020 6:35 pm

Was thinking about this yesterday and today as I was driving around the southern Highlands. I'm not so sure it is just 'new walkers'. I reckon a fair number of folk who only get out once or twice a month (probably most walkers) will be making up for lost time. That being said I've been on Corbetts this weekend and seen nobody, but the munro car parks have been outrageous so there might be more folk than usual in Adidas Sambas carrying Morrisons bags on the munros.

I don't think we should be discouraging new walkers but I do have concerns about estates losing the plot and become less walker friendly as a result of dozens and dozens of cars making single track roads even more of a nightmare than they are already.
iain_atkinson_1986
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 684
Munros:83   Corbetts:216
Fionas:20   Donalds:16+9
Sub 2000:4   
Joined: Jul 27, 2016
Location: Inverness

Re: ‘New walkers’ on the hills.

Postby paulG2 » Sun Jul 12, 2020 6:50 pm

iain_atkinson_1986 wrote:.

I don't think we should be discouraging new walkers but I do have concerns about estates losing the plot and become less walker friendly as a result of dozens and dozens of cars making single track roads even more of a nightmare than they are already.



Yes, it’s interesting to work out why it’s soooo busy and I share your concerns about estates. Personally I think it’s a good thing That more people, especially young people, getting into the hills. Just need to make sure the hills are respected.
paulG2
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 89
Munros:172   Corbetts:25
Fionas:1   Donalds:9
Joined: Mar 10, 2014

Re: ‘New walkers’ on the hills.

Postby Marty_JG » Sun Jul 12, 2020 7:19 pm

Arrochar is always ultra-busy... what you're seeing is the backlog !!
User avatar
Marty_JG
Backpacker
 
Posts: 1223
Munros:10   Corbetts:2
Fionas:2   
Sub 2000:3   
Islands:3
Joined: Sep 12, 2016
Location: Glasgow

Re: ‘New walkers’ on the hills.

Postby paulG2 » Sun Jul 12, 2020 8:02 pm

Marty_JG wrote:Arrochar is always ultra-busy... what you're seeing is the backlog !!



Yes, realise that but Ben Vane was like Ben Lomond on Saturday. Plus I heard a lot of similar stories in other places like Blair Atholl.
paulG2
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 89
Munros:172   Corbetts:25
Fionas:1   Donalds:9
Joined: Mar 10, 2014

Re: ‘New walkers’ on the hills.

Postby denfinella » Sun Jul 12, 2020 8:14 pm

I was in Glenmore Forest Park today and would say it was about normal for a sunny summer weekend, both in the car parks and on the hills. Perhaps more wild camping going on though - quite a few tents around.
User avatar
denfinella
Wanderer
 
Posts: 1394
Munros:88   Corbetts:40
Fionas:37   Donalds:24
Sub 2000:72   Hewitts:14
Wainwrights:6   Islands:46
Joined: Mar 19, 2012
Location: Edinburgh

Re: ‘New walkers’ on the hills.

Postby Sgurr » Sun Jul 12, 2020 8:34 pm

Even on the wee hills there are more people. We walked up Mount Hill near Cupar this morning, I hope I won't hurt its feelings if I describe it as in the bottom 20% of Marilyns for charisma. When we looked back down after being overtaken by a speedy family, there were 3 other cars in the car-park. This is unheard of. Ditto for Norman's Law (we have been doing rehab for husband's broken hip)....we were the last people able to fit into the higher car park, and there was a car in the gate way. Usually there would be no other or one other. On the tiny Hill of Tarvit (not even a Marilyn) we saw four other parties including husband's occupational therapist...gave her quite a shock, as last time she saw him he couldn't even get up stairs. I think it is all the people on furlough, plus good weather.
User avatar
Sgurr
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 5679
Munros:282   Corbetts:222
Fionas:219   Donalds:89+52
Sub 2000:569   Hewitts:172
Wainwrights:214   Islands:58
Joined: Nov 15, 2010
Location: Fife

Re: ‘New walkers’ on the hills.

Postby jupe1407 » Sun Jul 12, 2020 9:26 pm

Once other leisure facilities and pubs open I think numbers will drop back around the usual level. As mentioned above we've had exceptionally good weather this summer. The car park for the Ben Alder Road was rammed full. I genuinely didn't think it was possible to get that many cars in there :lol:
User avatar
jupe1407
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 1501
Munros:269   Corbetts:52
Fionas:12   
Sub 2000:7   
Islands:6
Joined: May 15, 2012
Location: Forfar

Re: ‘New walkers’ on the hills.

Postby Tringa » Sun Jul 12, 2020 9:58 pm

I can't comment on people on the hills but in my bit of east London since the lockdown in March there have been many more people out and about exercising in some way.

Early in the lockdown I think the combination of the not going to work for many, stay home but take exercise got more people out and about, so much so it was generally said what successive governments had failed to do was achieved by COVID19
There was also, I think, the effect of a lot of warm/hot weather in April and May in many areas.

This has continued to some extent but there has been a reduction more recently due, as said above, to other alternatives now.

Just hope people take care of the outdoors. Unfortunately, there are some folks who shouldn't be allowed into the countryside.

Dave
User avatar
Tringa
 
Posts: 309
Joined: Sep 2, 2008
Location: London

Re: ‘New walkers’ on the hills.

Postby Manwaeadug » Sun Jul 12, 2020 10:12 pm

I suppose I'm a 'new walker' so I wouldn't really know what's busy and what isn't, but I've done two or three local walks the past week or two; up, over and around small hills (one felt like a mountain! :lol: ) and have met a couple of people on each occasion.

This is in a popular rambling area with quite a few trails skirting the northern (Carrick) end of the Galloway Forest, so I wouldn't say that it was too busy. Might not be all that busy an area though.
Manwaeadug
Walker
 
Posts: 107
Munros:1   Corbetts:3
Fionas:3   Donalds:6
Sub 2000:1   Hewitts:3
Wainwrights:4   
Joined: Oct 18, 2019
Walk wish-list

Re: ‘New walkers’ on the hills.

Postby gman » Sun Jul 12, 2020 11:29 pm

What's it they say about complaining about traffic when you're in a traffic jam - you're the traffic :lol:

I was on the Buachaille last Monday, which was the first good weather day post 5 mile limit, and it's the quietest I've seen it so who knows.
User avatar
gman
 
Posts: 827
Munros:250   Corbetts:4
Sub 2000:1   
Joined: Sep 12, 2011

Re: ‘New walkers’ on the hills.

Postby bootsandpaddles » Mon Jul 13, 2020 7:08 am

I expect a lot of them would usually be sitting on a beach in Spain.
User avatar
bootsandpaddles
 
Posts: 700
Munros:282   Corbetts:103
Donalds:7
Joined: Aug 5, 2008

Re: ‘New walkers’ on the hills.

Postby Aliboag » Mon Jul 13, 2020 8:40 am

I've never seen Dumyat as busy as it was yesterday, I think the good weather coupled with the easing of travel restrictions & many places still being closed made the hills look very appealing for walkers (new & experienced).
Aliboag
Walker
 
Posts: 2
Munros:9   
Fionas:2   Donalds:3
Sub 2000:3   
Islands:2
Joined: Jun 15, 2020

Re: ‘New walkers’ on the hills.

Postby Giant Stoneater » Mon Jul 13, 2020 9:32 am

I suspect that a lot of the weekend workers with being furloughed has contributed to a lot of local hotspots being overwhelmed plus the fact that a lot of folk are blinded by one route up a hill routine.
Giant Stoneater
Scrambler
 
Posts: 916
Joined: Aug 2, 2014

Next



Can you help support Walkhighlands?


Our forum is free from adverts - your generosity keeps it running.
Can you help support Walkhighlands and this community by donating by direct debit?



Return to General discussion

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 18 guests