making good decisions

Top Munro Safety Tips

Walking in nature can be one of the most rewarding experiences. However, you must always respect the environment you’re in so that you get the most out of your adventure, safely. Here I aim to suggest some common sense ideas that will help keep you safe and out of trouble on the hills. I’m not an expert and I encourage you to go and read further about these topics, with that all said, here’s some of my Munro safety tips.

Have a Plan

Before you head out into the mountains make sure you have a plan. Know the route you’re doing, know how long it should take you. Check the weather and check the avalanche report in winter.

Make sure you have all your kit handy. Always plan for what may go wrong. Have an extra warm layer handy. If you become stationary out on a hill for too long you will quickly become cold. Always plan for rain.

DO NOT solely rely on your mobile phone for navigation. Make sure you have a map and compass, and know how to use them

Before you set off, register the mobile phones of everyone in your party with the 999 text service. You may be able to send an emergency SMS with a weak signal. To register simply text the word ‘register’ to 999

Have a plan for when things go wrong

Don’t be solely reliant on your mobile phone, in cold weather the battery will drain quickly. You may find yourself in a spot with no phone reception.

Make sure you have an extra warm layer, some food, and enough fluid. You will need a head torch in case you’re still in the hills when it gets dark.

Think about and plan possible escape routes. Generally the best escape route is to finish the walk, or return the way you came. Never create your own route down the mountain unless you really know what you’re doing. You may end up on much more difficult terrain and make your (and anyone coming to find you) lives much harder.

A lot of people get into trouble by trying to get off the mountain quickly, taking the most direct route down and getting into serious trouble on some serious terrain. Marked routes on sites like Walk Highlands generally provide the safest and quickest ways up and down.

Have a back up plan for your plan

Before you set off let someone, who is not in your walking party, know your planned route, where you’ve parked your car and the car number plate. These are both very helpful bits of information for rescue teams – it always helps to make their lives as easy as possible! Let people on the ground know the time you expect to be down from the mountain, so that they know to raise the alarm if you have not been in touch.

If you like you can let us know, via an airbnb message, your route, and where you’ve parked. We’ll raise the alarm if we’ve not heard or seen you at the agreed time.

Mountaineering.scot has a handy route card you can use as a reference or you can print off

Be prepared to turn around

Constantly keep accessing the conditions, they can change quickly. If you are feeling uncomfortable you should speak up and discuss it as a group.

After the discussion, if one person is still uncomfortable with the situation you should all turn around. Do not split up on the mountain. Keep in mind that it is often more difficult to come down the mountain in rough conditions than it is going up.

Here’s the moment we hit one of our (of the many times) turn around points near Stob Coire Nan Lochan.

If things have gone wrong

Don’t trail blaze your own way down the mountain you may end up in worse terrain and make any search for you much more difficult. Stay together on the mountain.

Project and inspire positivity and confidence amongst your party members. This is more a general piece of advice for any time you are out in the hills. A day out is so much more fun if everyone is projecting positive energy, especially if it’s getting a bit steep!

If you need to be rescued call 999, ask for the police and Mountain Rescue. You will need the following information

Location

Number of casualties and nature of injuries

Number in the group and what equipment you have

Your number and the numbers of any other mobiles in the group

Scrambling with exposure fear / fear of heights

If you find yourself on a bit of a scramble with some exposure and feel like you’re really not having a good time, take a big deep breath and take your time.

Focus on what you have to do. In that moment your one job is to move effectively. Concentrate on keeping three solid points of contact on the mountain (if you have 2 feet and 1 hand or 1 foot and 2 hands on a solid position there’s not much that can go wrong) at all times. Do not move on until you’re happy that all three contacts with the mountain are solid.

Try not to panic and overthink just concentrate on the next move. As you move to get off the mountain you will likely get into harder terrain. Just keep to the plan you’ve already made.

Mountaineering.scot
Scottish Mountain Rescue