this is not really a contribution about what to do 'about'
snowdon, but more of an fyi on its 'construction' (years
before that word become popular) - have a look at the
"romantic face of wales" by jane zaring in 1977 Annals
of the AAG. a nice paper on representing wales, incl.
the mountain, over a couple of centuries. maybe she
could do a follow up based on the discussion on the list?
jp
--
John Paul Jones III
Professor and Head
Department of Geography
and Regional Development
409 Harvill Building
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona 85721-0076
520-621-1652 work
520-940-0036 cell
520-621-2889 fax
Quoting "Dr. Chad Staddon" <[log in to unmask]>:
> As a climber I confess to harking to Hillary's sentiment, at least
> initially, about the desecration of Snowdon. It is not that I am an elitist
> who believes that only the truly rugged (and foolhardy) ought to be able to
> reach the summit of mountains like Snowdon. Rather I am uncomfortable with
> the idea of reducing a mountain like Snowdon to the status of 'commodity'.
> Remember that the operators of the railway are not motivated by the desire
> to open up access to the mobility impaired; this is merely a serendipitous
> by-product of their search for profits.
>
> The same argument applies to the more recently completed Cairngorm
> funicular; a monstrosity that actually decants its users straight into an
> ESA!
>
> On the other hand, I am increasingly fascinated by the way modern
> mountaineering gear is creating a new relationship between climber and
> environment; one that is at once highly technologised (e.g. Goretex
> everything) and highly commodified (e.g. Goretex everything!). The days of
> a stout pair of boots and an army surplus rucksack are long gone.
>
> Chad
> Dr Chad Staddon
> Senior Lecturer in Human Geography
> University of the West of England
> Coldharbour Lane, Bristol
> ENGLAND BS16 1QY
> TEL: (0117) 328-3214
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "jon swords" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Tuesday, March 29, 2005 1:35 PM
> Subject: Re: Snowdon Cafe
>
>
> Plus, after climbing a mountain a nice cup of tea and a cake would go down
> very well!
>
> The first time i went to the Lake District i marvelled at the natural
> scenery...until i realised that what i was seeing - a lot of fields, and a
> treeless landscape - was created by farmers. So, i guess you have to
> appreciate that what seems natural is in some cases very unnatural (and
> thats even before you get on to nature as a social construction!)
>
> Jon
>
>> From: Mike Kesby <[log in to unmask]>
>> Reply-To: Mike Kesby <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: Snowdon Cafe
>> Date: Tue, 29 Mar 2005 13:11:55 +0100
>>
>> Trouble is Hillary - railways and cafes are all very useful for the
>> elderly, children and those with disabilities and prevent "our best
>> landscapes/highest mountains" becoming "spaces of exclusion".
>> But never fear - the "best views" of this particular mountain are
>> available from nearby "Crib Gogh" (spelling ?). This knife edge
>> ridge is likely to remain accessible only to the able
>> bodied/experienced/fool-hardy climber for the foreseeable future -
>> thereby preventing its commodification by capitalist enterprise
>> (although not by "Munro" baggers who fetishize landscape elements,
>> especially summits).
>> I think your cable car up Everest is a great idea (although I'm not
>> sure such a rapid assent would be healthy) as it would aid the
>> recovery of the bodies of those who decided to walk and then wished
>> they hadn't.
>>
>> I think one should treat mountain climbing like life: it's not the
>> getting there that matters - it's what you see and learn on the way
>> that counts: It's not how high you climb but whether you do it with
>> style and without treading on the fingers of others: treat every
>> pinnacle of achievement as a brief enjoyable high before another
>> long decent into the valley of life's miseries: While everyone wants
>> to get to the top, the top is a very lonely and dangerous place to
>> be, and besides sometimes the greater pleasure is simply to watch
>> others try ... and fail: and finally, If you do find a restaurant at
>> the top of your mountain of achievement take it as an indication
>> that you weren't the first, and you wont be the last. The key thing
>> is, can you still say: "I did it ....... Myyyyy waaayyyyy"
>> :-)
>>
>> Mike
>> hhmmm perhaps I needed another day's holiday
>>
>>
>>
>>> What is that of a conception of the "natural"? What is "our best
>>> landscape"? Where humans dwell - by building for example - the
>>> "natural" regresses? Is landscape destroyed by humans' dwelling?
>>> Is "nature" the virgin place and a "good" landscape one without
>>> human?
>>>
>>>
>>> Le 27 mars 05, à 21:58, Hillary Shaw a écrit :
>>>
>>>> Why do we need to plonk anything at the top of Snowdon at all. We
>>>> already have a rack railway running up and down it - why not take
>>>> this opportunity to demolish the 'third rate cafe' altogether and
>>>> build a good visitor centre, cafe, etc at the bottom end of the
>>>> railway. Keep the top of one of our best landscapes / highest
>>>> mountains as natural as possible. (What would people's reaction be
>>>> if Nepal announced it was to build a hotel at the top of Everest,
>>>> accessed by a cable car?)
>>>>
>>>> Hillary Shaw, Geography, University of Southampton
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> In the dim and distant past, the building at the top of Snowdon was
>>>> labelled "Hotel" on OS maps.
>>>>
>>>> I was very disappointed, after my first ascent, to discover it was a
>>>> third rate cafe!
>>>>
>>>> I wonder if a new building will improve the quality of the
>>>> comestibles offered.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>> </blockquote></x-html>
>>
>
>
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