Exploring New Shapes and Two Munros

[Joehill]

The Cobbler, from Cruach nam Miseag

Nothing but new shapes and structures of something familiar, and I asked myself if there is anything else to discover. I mean, if there is something else than shapes and structures for us to find as we explore this world. I mean, if there is something hidden that is not thoughts forming patterns in correlation to the patterns we find around us with our five senses. I mean, in front of me there was mountaintops with peculiar odd shapes, and there was a fire and determination that took shapes in me, and it seemed plausible, to say the least, that extrinsic and intrinsic shapes like these will be all there is for me to ever understand and see.

I mean, there is some meaning to it all, and I mean to figure it out…

The axe rung as it struck rock, and vibrations spread through my hand. The axe dug deep into snow and dirt and with the strength of my hand I could pull myself upwards towards the first peak of Cruach nam Miseag. In a steady pace I was getting closer, and as I reached a plateau on my way up I could see the odd shape of the cobbler in front of me, I found it interesting, and I began to think about shapes as I countinued my walk.

Soon to find the intimidating shape of the steep south east wall of Beinn Narnain in front of me, and I wondered if the tiny shape of me, could make it up there. I meet two other hikers at the bottom of the first scramble and tagged along behind them, and we did some easy progress passing the scramble to the right, avoiding the more difficult shapes of the rocks. We strived across the wall towards a gully upwards to the right of us, and before this final climb we took a break. I offered myself to take the lead up the gully, and I found it easy to climb up there using my axe. I waited for the others to show up but they took time, and as I got cold I moved on, and began the walk towards the summit.

Beinn Narnain from the east

The northern wind was strong and freezing cold, and just another shape taking form around me as I made my way towards the cairn. I knew that it was only shapes: the movements of air and ice crystals tearing my face, and the sparks of electricity sent to my brain forming sensations of pain. I knew that it was all energy taking different forms around and inside me.

Top Cairn, Beinn Narnain

I passed the top cairn in haste and found out that the west side of the mountain was sheltered from the wind and not nearly as step as the east side, and I made my way down to the bealach a’ mhaim in no time. I did not feel tired at this stage, and since the shape of Beinn Ime seamed friendly enough, I decided to give it a go. I meet a fell runner coming down the slope and he told me that there were no difficult passages up there and but that the winds were strong, so I secured my ice axe to the backpack and used my walking stick instead, and could unfortunately not put my ski glasses on since I had forgotten them at home.

Besides very strong winds and slippery ice there was nothing difficult with the walk upwards the slope of Beinn Ime. Before the final plateau and the summit, I and two other hikers got stranded on a slightly steep slope in very strong winds that showered us with snow, and made every step wobbly. All three of us where sitting still for a good five minutes turning our backs towards the wind, not capable of moving. I eventually took initiative and crawled upwards, and well up on the plateau slightly more towards the south of the mountain, the winds ceased.

I turned my attention towards the surrounding and saw the shapes of the two men, themselves making their way up on the plateau, and found it beautiful. I could comprehend how their shapes (the movement of their energy) were integrated with the greater shape of the frozen mountains and the furious wind and snow. I could understand that there must be a single factor that combined them all, and perhaps that factor is not a shape…

The Cobbler from Beinn Ime

As I was approaching the cobbler coming down from Beinn Ime, more and more people appeared on the hills, and it was a wonderful walk back towards Arrochar. As I reached lower grounds the weather was getting warmer, and the path leading to and from the cobbler felt like a walk in a stoney park. I was happy with the walk, I was happy to be surrounded by beautiful shapes, and in one way it doesn’t really matter if everything is shapes or not. If so, it would still be a pretty nice fact.

The Cobbler well down from Beinn Ime

[litljortindan]

An interesting and imaginative write up with pictures that remind me of David Bowie's Ashes to Ashes video.
There's a book called View From the Ridge that examines the why of hillwalking from lots of different perspectives. Can't remember if it goes too much into shapes but clearly what's before our eyeballs has an impact. I think that book speculates a bit about how a horizon draws the mind out of the head so to speak. For me, though, if I'm knackered I can't see the drama any more so it is to do with frame of mind too.

[Joehill]

An interesting and imaginative write up with pictures that remind me of David Bowie's Ashes to Ashes video.
There's a book called View From the Ridge that examines the why of hillwalking from lots of different perspectives. Can't remember if it goes too much into shapes but clearly what's before our eyeballs has an impact. I think that book speculates a bit about how a horizon draws the mind out of the head so to speak. For me, though, if I'm knackered I can't see the drama any more so it is to do with frame of mind too.

Nice I will defiantly get this book! I know what you mean, I think for me the exhaustion and the blank mind-set that this give rise to is important, because when I then rest, reach a plateau, or summit and reconnect with everything around me I get overwhelmed with the input and sensations. Mainly I try to capture this experience in the text…

The interesting and also deceptive part of writing, as I see it, is that it is always a reconstruction thou... I try to put my experience into a context and give words to it, but the more you write the easier it is to deviate from the actual truth! My thoughts about shapes actually began the week before I did this walk, when I was reading about the discovery of icy ridges on the dwarf planet Pluto, and I was laughing because I found it funny that we spend billions on these missions into space and what are we to find? Mountains and new shapes of something familiar... This became the context for experiences on the mountains in fact our best described by silence…