One of the things which saddens most people is seeing graffiti in public places, and unfortunately, Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) is one of these.
The standing stone at the intersection of the Pyg and Miners’ Tracks seems to be a common target, as does the ‘summit/copa’ sign at Bwlch Glas. And then there’s the odd heli-bags by the paths which, as a blank canvas (literally), also seem to attract that sort of person.
But what sort of person is this? We certainly never see anyone leaving graffiti, although presumably somebody does. Do they leave ‘tag’ graffiti on their own property? I suspect not.
And who goes up Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) with graffiti markers or spray cans in their rucksack anyway? Is that normal behaviour? We have to assume that for a tiny percentage of the population it is.
To the outsider, it’s anti-social behaviour aimed at gain attention or as a form of thrill seeking. Some would call it an art form, and indeed I can think of some places which have been brightened up considerably by the use of ‘artful’ graffiti, an expressive art form. But that’s not the type we’re talking about here.
While Hafod Eryri, the summit building, was closed for 3½ years during and following Covid, the steel door and window frames attracted a lot of graffiti. Well, we shouldn’t make it sound like it’s the building’s fault. Rather, one person started it, and just as litter attracts litter, so graffiti attracts graffiti. I suppose certain people see someone else’s ‘tag’ as a challenge which needs to be responded to in a similar way. Prior to the building re-opening in 2023, staff spent hours with graffiti remover clearing what had accumulated. (We gave them a few minutes respite while we borrowed their equipment to remove more graffiti from the summit pillar.)
And talking of the summit pillar, there is a small steel door in the side of it which perpetually seems to attract graffiti in the form of stickers. But who goes up a mountain with stickers?
As we said earlier, we firmly believe that graffiti begets graffiti (as litter begets litter), and to that end, any graffiti is removed as soon as is practically possible. The hope is that if there is no graffiti around, it is less likely to encourage that sort of person to leaving his/her mark. (I say his or her, but we all know that it’s mostly young males who are the culprits.)
As one who doesn’t really understand graffiti, I thought I’d look it up:
“At its core, graffiti vandalism stems from a multitude of motivations deeply rooted in human psychology. While some perpetrators may deface property out of sheer boredom or impulsivity, many engage in graffiti as a means of self-expression, social identity formation, or rebellion against societal norms.”
So now we know.
And for the record, graffiti is actually defined as a criminal act under the Criminal Damage Act 1971. This law encompasses all forms of graffiti, and the penalty can be severe. If the damage caused is less than £5,000, the offender could face three months imprisonment or a £2,500 fine. If the damage exceeds £5,000, the punishment can be up to ten years in prison or a fine.
Graffiti on a gate on the Snowdon Ranger path, on the Intersection stone, on the Bwlch Glas stone and on a heli-bag; also stickers on the summit pillar