The more things change…

Just sitting down to read an old book, Walks in the Moffat Hills and the Lowthers, by Jim Manson. Given the recent debates around crowd numbers in the countryside, the intro seemed a familiar topic – and it was written 23 years ago!

“In recent years, a certain amount of concern has been expressed about the rapidly increasing numbers of people taking to British hills – numbers which in some places are testing the delicate relationship between landlord and walker to the limit. And let’s be honest, the behaviour of some of the more recent devotees often leaves something to be desired. It is worth remembering that the same hills we love to roam are also someone else’s place of work […]

“Some of the more critical, and frequently long in the tooth, bemoan the fact that they no longer have the hills to themselves. One has to admit that hillgoers, myself included, are just a wee bit on the possessive side. The sight of another walker is enough to raise the old blood pressure by a few points… but the majority enjoy passing the time of day with you when you finally draw level.”