As more people explore outdoors and rescue callouts rise, experts advise use of maps and compass
Navigational expert Skye, above, carried out 200 searches over 11 years for people lost in the Lake District.Navigational expert Skye, above, carried out 200 searches over 11 years for people lost in the Lake District.Last modified on Tue 27 Dec 2022 16.28 GMT
As more people explore the outdoors – many for the first time – experts urged people to understand how to use a map and compass as well as carry a torch and mobile battery backup on outings. Richard Warren, the chair of LDSAMRA, said smartphones were a great resource for walkers and climbers but that variable phone signal and battery power, which drained rapidly in cold weather, could present problems if people relied on the entirely. “What we’re trying to avoid is people just relying on their mobile phones, and getting them to learn to use a map and compass.”
Paul Donovan, co-project lead of the safety campaign AdventureSmart UK, said while it was “fantastic” that more people were walking and engaging with nature, there was a national rise in incidents. “If they are reliant on their smartphone without any backup there’s a chance of something happening as a result.”