Copyright dailyrecord
As the clocks have now gone back and temperatures begin to fall, a local mountain rescue team is sharing tips during ahead of their busiest rescue efforts on the hills. The sudden nature of darkness closing in earlier means it is the perfect time for messages of basic safety to be spread - with the national Mountain Rescue Awareness Day taking place last Saturday. This time of year brings with it spikes in callouts and some volunteer teams have already reported having to make rescues of those caught out by the sudden changes in conditions. One of those volunteer groups which will be out battling the elements is the Killin Mountain Rescue Team. Will Diamond from Killin MRT spoke to the Observer and shared some key points to bear in mind if you are thinking of spending the weekend on the slopes. He said: “As the clocks go back ahead of winter, now is a good time to plan ahead for trips into the Scottish hills and mountains. “As I write this, the first snow of the winter season has already fallen onto a number of the Stirlingshire munros to the North of Callander - a sure fire sign that winter is quickly approaching. “At this time of year, darkness can fall quickly so always ensure you have a good torch with you, and don’t rely on a mobile phone for lighting. We recommend a head torch as that leaves hands free for balance. “A good plan is to always have a backup torch instead of relying on changing batteries on a hillside, in the dark in inclement weather. From our own personal experience, that is no easy feat. “Planning your route in advance should take cognisance of route times, and it’s always worth considering heading out earlier in the day to ensure you’re safely off the hill before darkness sets in. “Ensure you have enough food and drink should you end up in trouble, or take longer than expected. The cold weather will sap energy quicker than in the summer months, so don’t forget the age old advice of a bag of jelly babies in your bag.” Among those messages of safety, Will also shared the need to pack extra clothing and layers for the hill - advice that could prove life-saving if awaiting a rescue and needing to bed in as rescue teams launch their searches. The Killin team is one of 26 scattered across the country, staffed entirely by a network of around 850 specially-trained volunteers who are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to respond to emergencies and carry out a specialist search and rescue service. Will added a final notice of advice for any winter hillwalkers: “We always advise telling someone of your intended route and approximate return time so that we have a rough idea of where to start looking should you end up in difficulty. “We often find an over reliance on technology such as using mobile phones for navigation, but the batteries don’t last in the cold and phone signal can often be patchy at best in some of the more mountainous areas of Scotland. “Often once the initial call for help is received, we are unable to recontact the casualties so by letting people know your plans in advance, again, it could be the thing that saves you.”
