WINTER gear alone is not enough to protect inexperienced walkers on Scotland’s mountains this season, experts warn.
Mountaineering Scotland urged the public not to venture onto the country’s peaks without proper preparation as winter begins to bite.
While equipment like crampons and ice axes is readily available from retailers, the outdoors body warned this means little without the knowledge and skills to use it in challenging conditions.
The caution follows a number of deaths on the hills in recent years involving both inexperienced and expert ramblers and climbers.
Meanwhile, volunteer rescue teams have saved many others who have become injured, lost or unwell while venturing onto rugged and remote terrain.
Last month more than 30 people from five such teams were involved in the search for a man from the Glasgow area who was forced to spend the night in the Glen Strathfarrar area after losing his way.
He was successfully rescued when his orange survival bag was spotted against the landscape.
Mountaineering Scotland is now running a free winter safety lecture tour to aid outdoor enthusiasts, and is also offering advice in partnership with retailers Tiso and Cotswold, with daily snow warnings available online through the sportscotland Avalanche Information Service website.
The move is backed by Scottish Mountain Rescue. The organisation’s vice chair Kev Mitchell said: “We fully endorse the Mountaineering Scotland winter safety message and would encourage hillgoers to ensure that they have left details of their intended route and expected return time.
“People should also be aware of and use the latest navigation/location technology such as GPS or OS locate and other similar apps to avoid navigation errors. However, it is critical that a paper map and a compass are carried and that people know how to use them.
“If you require assistance on the hills, dial 999 ask for police then mountain rescue.”
Mountaineering Scotland safety advisor Heather Morning said: “Folk heading out onto the hills in winter should take advantage of the advice and information on offer to ensure a safe and enjoyable day.
“As well as making sure you have an ice axe, and crampons that fit, remember that winter days are shorter and colder, so a headtorch with spare batteries is essential. A simple bivouac shelter is also a very good addition to the kit you carry in your winter rucksack.”
Meanwhile, a weather station is to record conditions on the summit of the UK’s highest mountain for the first time in 113 years. Scientists from the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) climbed Ben Nevis earlier this week to install the equipment.
Dr Barbara Brooks and her team installed the temporary device to record wind speed and direction, pressure, temperature, precipitation and humidity on the peak for the first time since 1904, when the Victorian observatory staffed by volunteer weathermen was closed.
She hopes to compare the results gathered with Victorian records to gain new insight into climate change and extreme rainfall, with initial comparisons to be made available at a free event at Edinburgh’s Dynamic Earth later this month.
Brooks said: “Thankfully, technology has moved on so there’s no need for our team to be stationed on the summit over the winter months.
“If we can prove that the technology works and the data is robust, we’re hopeful this could lead to a new, permanent weather station on the summit, which would be invaluable for meteorologists.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here