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WHAT THE GUIDANCE SAYS
A good hill day starts the night before.
Mountain rescue teams, the Met Office and the Countryside Code all start in the same place: know how long your route takes, what the weather will do up high, and who knows where you are.
999 · POLICE then Mountain Rescue
Time a walk
THE SHORT ANSWER
Three checks before you leave
and one number if things go wrong.
TIMING
Naismith's rule from 1892 allows 1 hour per 5 km on the level, plus about 10 minutes per 100 m of ascent. Allow for early nightfall in winter.
Time a walkHELP
In England and Wales, dial 999 or 112, ask for the Police and then Mountain Rescue. Give a grid reference and stay put until the team contacts you.
What to sayKIT
Mountain Rescue advice: spare layers, hat and gloves even in summer, food and water for the day, map, compass, torch, whistle and a first aid kit.
Before you goA QUICK ROUTE TIMER
Pick a route to see the walking time Naismith's rule gives, before breaks. The bar shows how much of a short winter day it would use.
Naismith's rule as described by UKHillwalking: 1 hour per 5 km plus 1 hour per 600 m of ascent. Real times vary with fitness, ground and weather.
TWO NUMBERS WORTH KNOWING
One figure on weather planning,
one on who comes if it goes wrong.
≈ 1in 3
People caught out by poor weather planning
The Met Office reports survey figures showing nearly a third of UK residents have been in dangerous situations because of poor weather planning.
WEATHER PLANNING · MET OFFICE
≈ 3,500
Volunteers in England and Wales
Mountain Rescue England and Wales has 47 teams and about 3,500 volunteers, on call 24 hours a day. The service is free to the casualty and relies on donations.
VOLUNTEERS · MOUNTAIN RESCUE
The Met Office mountain forecast shows wind, gusts, temperature, a feels-like temperature and the freezing level at 300 m height intervals, and is issued daily before 6pm.
FOUR CHECKS BEFORE YOU GO
These come from Mountain Rescue, Met Office and Countryside Code advice. None needs special equipment, only a little time the evening before.
Use Naismith's rule to estimate the walk, and have a shorter alternative ready for tiredness or bad weather.
Check wind, feels-like temperature and freezing level for the height you will reach, not just the valley.
Tell someone reliable your start, finish, expected return time and alternatives, and let them know if it changes.
Keep one charged phone in the group for emergencies, plus a paper map, which needs no battery.
IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG
Dial 999 or 112, ask for the Police and then Mountain Rescue. Have ready your location (a grid reference is best), the casualty's name, age and injuries, the number in your party and your mobile number. Do not move until the team contacts you.
If you have hearing or speech difficulties, emergencySMS lets you text 999, but only if you register first by texting register to 999. To signal by whistle or torch, give six long blasts in a minute, pause for a minute, and repeat.
Questions
How long will my hill walk take?
Naismith's rule, devised in 1892, allows 1 hour per 5 km on level ground plus 1 hour for every 600 m of ascent, about 10 minutes per 100 m. Add time for breaks and slower walkers.
Who do I call for Mountain Rescue?
In England and Wales, dial 999 or 112 and ask for the Police, then Mountain Rescue. The Police alert the team. Scottish Mountain Rescue gives the same advice.
Can I text 999?
Only if you have registered for emergencySMS, which is for people with hearing or speech difficulties. Register before you need it by texting register to 999.
Do I need warm clothes in summer?
Yes. Mountain Rescue advice is to carry spare layers, a hat and gloves even in summer, because the tops are colder and windier.
Does my dog need a lead on the hills?
The Countryside Code says that between 1 March and 31 July you must keep your dog on a lead on Open Access land, and always on a lead near livestock.
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