Call outs from the MRT (Mountain Rescue Teams) are increasing exponentially and will in time reach critical levels. It is good news that more and more people are visiting the outdoors but it is bad news that they are becoming less and less prepared when they do.
Recently the Llanberis mountain team asked for a debate about the increasing call outs they are facing. The article was detailed on the BBC and you will find it here. It forms a frame for the debate although I was somewhat surprised to see a couple shown in bad weather who appeared to be wearing jeans. If so, the BBC (of all media outlets) should do better.
However the words from the Llanberis team struck a cord with me and, I know, with other experienced outdoor enthusiasts. I wrote a piece a year ago on the Lost Art of Navigation which gained some traction but in reality only details part of the issue, albeit an important part.
Here I would like to detail the reasons that I believe walkers are getting increasingly in to trouble in the mountains and what can be done to help. Usually the issues fall in to 4 different categories: more walkers, social media, the use of apps, kit/weather and common sense. I have taken each one separately but in reality they are all linked to the final one.
Walking in the countryside and more specifically the higher hills and mountains of Britain used to be rare. Gradually, though, more and more people have headed out (with a noticeable spike since Covid) and now record numbers are heading for the hills. This is a good thing; great for a fitter and heathier population, less stress on the NHS and bringing both physical and mental benefits. In addition the more people who visit our countryside, the more they understand it and the more likely many will become in protecting it.
The greater number of visitors will, however, cause stresses and strains to those heading to the higher hills and, in particular, the most visited ones. Parking is an issue, accommodation prices are soaring and the busiest walks are becoming unpleasantly popular, particularly on a sunny day. However as frustrating as all this is, the benefits of people being out and about certainly outweighs the down sides of them staying indoors.
It is inevitable that more people in the outdoors mean more call outs, simple maths. A broken ankle is more likely with more people and this is the type of accident that can happen to anyone at any time. However, the reality is that call outs to the MRTs is increasing at a higher level than just the increase in walkers. Why?
We all know how this works. Beautiful videos and photos are posted on line of beautiful spots. More often than not these are accompanied by beautiful people modelling the beautiful places. The message is clear: this could be you, come and visit. The algorithm also means once you have viewed one you view many more and before you know it you simply have to visit ‘the place’.
The waterfall/mountain/place is then googled and up it comes complete often with a google map. At that stage many inexperienced walkers believes they have enough information and heads off to find the ‘spot’ or ‘special hike’. After all a google map can take you from a house in Manchester to a house in Liverpool so surely it is the fountain of all knowledge in the outdoors as well. It isn’t, in fact it is hopeless outdoors. Other maps, displayed on apps, are also inadequate and even when they are good the person using them often has no idea what they show.
The problem is not that folk should not visit these places, they are more than entitled to. However there is no indication of how to get there, no suggestion if it is easy or difficult, how remote it is, no mention of weather or what happens when the cloud descends, no mention of the terrain to be encountered etc: It is not just first time visitors who are surprised when the reality is different on the hill to that on the video but more experienced walkers trapped in unfamiliar circumstances (weather/terrain/cloud etc). The bail out is therefore to ring the MRT, the phone call acting as a safety net for many.
Most walkers now use Apps to access the outdoors, particularly the young (specifically mentioned in the Llanberis report) who are so confident in everything on line. Apps are very good for showing popular routes, enabling walkers to follow others. In many ways they are the outdoor equivalent of Sat Nav in cars. Most use them successfully and with the increased choice of apps, more reliable phones and power packs they are increasingly reliable.
For the experienced walker they are a good way of finding a convenient route to a desired landmark. For an inexperienced walker they are still a good way of discovering the most popular route to a summit or other scenic spot. However there is an assumption that anyone using it is experienced. If something goes amiss the less experienced walker has no backup, no Mountain Sense obtained from previous visits. It is less the loss of phone power/signal these days (although it does still happen) but more importantly the confusion on the terrain/route which blindly following an app brings. The Llanberis team pulling people off Crib Goch is one example, but anywhere in the outdoors with the cloud coming in can be frightening for the inexperienced.
The less experienced are hiding behind technology.
The point being that blindly following someone else’s route in the outdoors without any experience of mountainous areas is just a recipe for problems. Most of the maps on apps lack detail anyway (boundaries/contours/cliffs etc) so anyone following one has little idea what will confront them. It is simply sat nav in the outdoors.
In the past walkers have followed guide book instructions (including the incomparable Wainwright guides) but at least these had a basic description of the land, there may even have been some form of map. A route on an App is different. It will lead walkers well beyond their comfort zone whilst at the same time providing less information than a guide book (and certainly a proper map).
Apps are an inevitable part of the outdoor experience these days but they come with a strong health warning to combine them with more traditional skills (maps and compasses) and a confidence to be able to use them.
To be honest kit is much more advanced than it ever used to be and that is for the good. The days where the stories of people ascending Ben Nevis in flip flops still exist but, relatively, in smaller numbers than the past. Most head for the hills with £100s of pounds of waterproofs, boots and lord knows what other kit. It is undoubtedly safer than the past when I used to head up in a kagool, jeans and a pair of green flash gym shoes.
The debate should not be about whether folk are better kitted for the outdoors (they are), it is more the protection from reality which higher quality kit brings. “I am wearing the latest waterproof jacket and very expensive walking boots so all will be well”. However this can entice people to move above their comfort zone (similar to the app debate) and they can get in to a situation if something goes wrong they are not prepared.
My advice on kit is make it comfortable for you as well as effective. In addition, the more time you head in to the outdoors the more efficient you will become in deciding what you need.
The first 4 solutions are an important/vital check list for individuals heading out and about. The final one is for all the authorities to make sure the messaging is consistent and regular.
And that is it, not too onerous or time consuming but useful and enjoyable.
Nothing improves confidence in the hills more than being there. It sounds obvious but the more time you spend in the outdoors in all conditions (weather and time of the year) the more confident you will become in getting yourself out of trouble and, in particular, not panicking. Getting lost is also not a problem. I once led my mate off High Stile in to Ennerdale rather than Buttermere (I refused to believe my compass and I was wet and cold) but the lessons I learnt that day helped me in much trickier circumstances in the future.
There is a reason the Mountain Leader Training Board insist on 20 Quality Mountain Days between the Training Course and Assessment and state it is the most important thing in the training manual. It brings practice but also ‘Mountain Sense’, so vital when things start to go wrong. Head out on your own route and practice, you will learn so much and hopefully enjoy it too. Take it gradually and learn to be confident in the mountains. It will save you much stress in later days. One of the main reasons so many youngsters have been rescued by the MRTs is they jump this stage believing the technology will save the day. It will help but is no substitute.
There is no need to become an expert navigator (that will come with time, naturally) but it makes sense to learn the basic navigational skills. The basic skills involve understanding an Ordnance Survey 1.25,000 map including its key symbols, distances and footpath network. For a compass learn to take and (just as importantly) follow a compass bearing. It could be a life saver.
Many who do not use a map and compass will say they know how to use them. If you can answer the following 5 questions you probably can
If you cannot answer these questions join one of our Introduction to Navigation courses. Other courses do exist but are not as good 😊.
I was going to leave this section blank but it would look odd so I will repeat the title…”Use your Common Sense”.
As an example there is no point in saying you have a map and compass in your walking pack if are unable to use it!
I was pleased the Llanberis MRT said there should be a debate on the growth of call outs in the UK. I hope others follow suit at an appropriate time. However it is important that the debate focuses around the important things (above) and does not become frivolous. It is a fine balance as the media will pick up the most dramatic elements of any comments the experts make. It is so easy to be misunderstood which can make things worse.
The last is most important.
Enjoy your walking
Jonathan
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