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Mountain Rescue Advice

Mountain Rescue Support

 

IN AN EMERGENCY DIAL 999

We are proud to be working alongside The Mountain Rescue Organisation, a registered charity of volunteers who are dedicated to saving lives and making our mountains, countryside and costal paths a safer place to enjoy for all.

Mountain Rescue's top 10 tips for staying safe.

Whether you’re walking in the hills, bagging peaks or rambling across moorland here are ten key points to help keep you safe and make the experience so much more enjoyable!

  1. Always carry a map, compass, torch, and whistle – and know how to use them! The ability to take a bearing might just be the key to your swift rescue. And check you have at least one reliable watch in the party.

  2. Keep a running check on energy levels – yours, your party’s and your mobile phone – and don’t rely on your mobile phone to get you out of trouble. Some areas of the mountains have no signal.

  3. Take enough food and drink for each member of the party – plenty of water and even a hot drink if the weather’s cool. Sunscreen and insect repellent are a good idea, as is a basic first aid kit, and don’t forget to carry any essential medication (for diabetes, asthma, angina or allergies, for example), even if you plan to be home before your next due dose.

  4. Check the weather forecast before you leave but treat with a healthy scepticism! Remember it’s often substantially colder on the tops than in the valleys, conditions can be localised and change at the drop of a woollie hat.

  5. Leave an outline of your planned route at home, hotel or hostel with your estimated time of return. Keep your party in the picture too, taking time to orient yourselves with the map. It should be fun!

  6. Invest in decent footwear – treaded sole, waterproof and good ankle support – and warm, windproof, waterproof clothing. Always carry spare clothing, including waterproof overtrousers, hat and gloves even in summer.

  7. Know your party – the weak, the strong, the eternally hungry – and stay together. If you’re walking alone, be aware of the added risk. Know your limitations and stick to your intended route.

  8. We know time is precious, weather windows can be short and peaks are there to be bagged but please see the summit as a bonus. Don’t be afraid to turn back if the weather changes, tiredness sets in or injury strikes. The chances are it’s cloudy up top anyway, so just enjoy being out there!

  9. In case of emergency, dial 999, ask for ‘Police’ and then ‘Mountain Rescue’. Give your grid reference and contact number and the nature of the incident, keep the phone switched on and stay where you are!

  10. If you can’t make contact, try the international distress signal – six whistle blasts or torch flashes repeated at minute intervals to signal emergency.

Information supplied from ‘Call Out Mountain Rescue? A pocket guide to safety on the hill’ published by Mountain Rescue England and Wales. To find out more about mountain rescue, or to buy the book, visit www.mountain.rescue.org.uk. Enjoy the hills and stay safe!