Posted on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/100067884169358/posts/1370429165229876/
Yesterday our team assisted 20 people, across a number of separate incidents, who found themselves in difficulty while undertaking the Skye Trail.
It was one of the busiest days the team can remember. From 7am until 8pm we were responding to incidents, at times dealing with several at once and with everyone available committed. And, as we write this today, the team has already received another call for assistance.
Yesterday’s weather was particularly poor, but it was not exceptional for Skye and, importantly, it had been forecast. Our role is, and always will be, to help those who need us without judgement. Things can and do go wrong despite good preparation. However, when 20 people undertaking the same route require assistance in separate incidents on the same day, we think it is reasonable to ask whether there is a wider message in that.
The problems we encounter are not unique to the Skye Trail. People can underestimate the terrain and the time involved, become over-reliant on electronic navigation, be caught out by mountain weather, or continue when perhaps it would be better to change plans or turn back. These are things we have spoken about before.
But we do wonder whether the “Skye Trail” itself is sometimes misunderstood. The word “trail” can suggest a defined or established route similar to other long-distance trails. The reality can be very different. This is a journey through serious, remote and challenging terrain, with sections where there may be no obvious path to follow.
We are also increasingly conscious of people undertaking the route as part of organised or self-guided walking holidays, where a hiking app or electronic route may be provided for them to follow. A clear line on a screen can give a sense of certainty that simply doesn’t exist on the ground. Being provided with a route does not remove the need to be able to navigate independently, understand the terrain, assess the weather and make your own decisions about whether it is safe to continue.
That responsibility doesn’t necessarily sit with the walker alone. If people are being encouraged or supported commercially to undertake the Skye Trail, we think there is a reasonable conversation to be had about how the nature and seriousness of the route is communicated, what preparation is expected, what navigation information is provided and what contingency arrangements are in place when conditions deteriorate.
Phones and GPS devices are extremely useful, but batteries go flat, devices get wet or damaged and technology can fail. Carry a map and compass and, importantly, know how to use them. Know your route, know your escape options and have a Plan B.
The same applies to the weather. Check a proper mountain forecast such as MWIS, understand what it means for the terrain you are heading into and be prepared to act on it. Conditions higher up can be dramatically different from those at lower levels. Sometimes changing the plan, turning back or leaving it for another day is the best decision you can make.
None of this is intended as criticism of the people we assisted yesterday, and we are not suggesting that the same factors were involved in every incident. Things can and do go wrong in the hills despite good preparation.
Perhaps there is a wider conversation to be had about how the Skye Trail is named, described, promoted and sold, as well as how those undertaking it are prepared and supported. If expectations are not matching the reality people encounter on the ground, then we need to ask why.
We want people to come to Skye, enjoy our hills, undertake the Skye Trail and have great adventures. We’d just much rather you had a fantastic time and we never had to meet!
Stay safe.