How happy on the mountain are the feet of He who brings good news… that today is International Mountain Day.
And yes, of course, while there is a day of the year for almost everything, our mountains are there every day.
It took the United Nations until 2003 though before they advanced our peaks for an International Day.
Of course being from the mountainous top half of this septic island they call Britain I’d been to the roof and looked down.
And admired Scotland’s valleys and glens and looked out and wondered of the view from other peaks.
Nothing as adventurous or backbreaking as mountaineering, or bagging Munros, those Scottish peaks, of which there are 282.
Border force
But leaving it to our dream makers, our holiday makers, to take us up where the air is fresh and sweet.
For some who are lucky enough to live in the mountains then gorges can be part of their daily routine.
And so it is nothing to locals who cross the border through a mountain gate between Austrian Tirol and the Bavarian Alps.
While others will trek across the Alps into northern Italy.
The mountains have long been routes through which people have traversed for trade, adventure, or in flight.
Although, as we’ve tracked already in these pages the most famous fleeing family most certainly never climbed every mountain.
But rather the Von Trapps took the train into Italy instead.
Mountain people
The most romantic way through the mountains is of course by foot but we’ve hit the peaks in all of those… trains, planes and snowmobiles.
Trains… on the Jungfraujoch Railway, the highest train route in Europe.
Planes and helicopters in the mountains above the Grand Canyon.
By coach up the Rockies on Colorado and Graaf-Reinet in the Eastern Cape in South Africa.
And with half the Atlas Mountains descending on your Scooby Doo van during a rainy Ramadan.
Mountains are to be admired, of course, but to be respected too.
And we continually wonder at the skills of those who keep an eye on them when they are stirring.
And point out nonchalantly when we’re in the Pyrenees that there’s an avalanche in the distance.
Slope off on your hols
This time of year is, of course, reserved for those who put planks on their feet and zig-zag down the mountains.
And whether that’s in our northern tip of Britain, my favoured ski slopes of Soll in Austria and Val D’Isere in France.
And on the dry slopes of my other land, Ireland, at Kilternan.
We’re all on the same page…
How happy on the mountain are the feet of those who bring good news.
Our dream makers, our holiday providers.
