Pete and the Yellow van – not a day for climbing ! Photo A, Banard .
Pete my lodger for the next two weeks went out for a look with the ever smiling Al Barnard the drive across the Dava Moor was interesting. The term “a look can mean many things” but first you have to get there. In the end the settled for a wander of Meall a’ Bhuachille 810 metres a lovely hill above Glenmore Lodge and had a good few hours out. Pete lives in Cornwall and is used to shorts and flip-flops in the winter so he was happy to get out and sort out the admin on the hill. The wind was fairly strong on the ridge and they had a fun day out, even a low hill is testing in winter. Al works off shore and has had to work while conditions were excellent over the last few weeks. It is not easy being patient as I know when others are out having fun ( as I know only to well).
Pete that weather looks fine ! Fhoto Al Barnard.
Many find this hard to do and wait till the weather settles as most have only a few days to snatch on the hill and it is hard to have planned a climb or hill day and the weather controls the day. In the end “Nature Rules” and we have to adhere to it. Never easy to explain until something goes wrong? The same goes for having the correct gear in winter and worth carrying a bit spare for the wild days?
Essential Kit yesterday Goggles Photo Al Barnard.
This made me think and after the tragedy in Skye where a guided party leader fell and the client had to get off the hill for assistance maybe it is worth having a back up plan if things go wrong? I have always had a small pack up I give if out with people new to hills and ask them what they would do if there was a problem?In it it will contain a spare map, compass, whistle, small torch, Gps and spare batteries, notebook and pencil and simple phone. It takes 10 minutes to talk through and it It makes people think. Is amazing how many people will tell you that they have medical problems and carry medication that may help? We have a duty of care to each other in the wild places. I carry a bothy bag and first aid kit.
Any thoughts/ideas?
Some ideas of Emergency gear?
999 Emergency Text Service How do I use emergency SMS?
Register
You will only be able to use this service
if you have registered with emergency SMS first.
Register now: don’t wait for an emergency.
To register, text ‘register’ to 999. You will get a reply –
then follow the instructions you are sent.
In an emergency
> Text 999
We need to know:
> Who?
Police, Ambulance,
Fire and Rescue
or Coastguard.
> What?
Briefly, what is
the problem.
> Where?
Exactly where the
problem is happening –
give the name of the road,
house number, postcode
or nearby landmark,
if possible.
What happens
next?
The emergency service
will either ask for more
information or will tell you
that help is on the way.
Don’t assume that
your message has
been received until the
emergency service sends
a message back.
It will usually take about
two minutes before you get
a reply. If you don’t get a
reply within three minutes,
please try again or find
other ways of getting help
For more information, visit:
http://www.emergencysms.org.uk
The Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) is urging everyone who walks climbs and skis in the Scottish mountains to register with the 999 emergency text service. This service has been set up to allow people to text 999 when mobile phone reception is intermittent.
However, you will only be able to use this service if you have registered with emergency SMS first. The MCofS is promoting the service to mountaineers and suggesting that we register now rather than wait for an emergency. To register, text ‘Register’ to 999. You will get a reply and will then need to follow the instructions you are sent. The text system is meant to be used only when voice calls cannot be made and the system does not guarantee that texts will be delivered, so users should wait until they receive a reply from the emergency services before assuming help has been summoned. Further details, including guidelines on how to register, can be found at www.emergencysms.org.uk.
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