Was having a convo with a guy at work about why we are so addicted to getting out into the hills (the peaks in our case) and how if we haven't been in a few weeks how depressed we become!

He was of the opinion that it was to 'get away from it all' but im not sure, my front room is almost always quieter than the summit of mam tor (not that i would know as i wouldn't dream of riding my bike on the summit 🙂 ) and I have no kids or anything to have a break from.

Anyone have any opinions as to why most of us have this urge to go into the hills? And I'm not talking about riding, that is obviously a lot of fun, it's the yearning for the hills I don't understand, its such a powerful addiction! would be interesting to hear your thoughts, and perhaps go into work tomorrow armed with some decent counter theories to my mates!

It's not sitting in a chair staring at a screen

Exploration in human nature?

the frequency at which the rock vibrates harmonises our chi and cleanses our auras…

the whole thing about escaping to remote places, leaving any issues/worries/thoughts behind? (escapism)

This book is all about our relationship with the mountains: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mountains-Mind-Fascination-Robert-Macfarlane/dp/1847080391/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpi_2

I did an amount of walking before I rediscovered MTBing, and I can wholly relate. At the risk of needing asbestos trousers, I don't think it's the bike. Or rather, I don't think it's -just- the bike.

There's something about slogging your guts out for hours and then rounding a corner to be suddenly presented with a view that's so utterly breathtaking, and that the vast majority of the populace will never even see (short of on TV). That and you've left the great unwashed miles behind you; no work, no stress, no scumbags, no feral kids and Stella-fuelled lunatics, just for a moment there's something that's *yours*. You can't beat that.

"In wildness is the preservation of the world."

Henry David Thoreau

The land spread out all around, big skies, far horizons; from here you can go anywhere.

It's freedom innit?