Lessons to be learnt from a lucky escape

It is inconceivable that a company could open a dam gate and release a dangerous flood of water into a popular canyoning site without warning, but that is apparently what happened at a hydro scheme above the Bruar Falls.

The concerned adventure tour operator who raised the alarm was so horrified he called the police, believing people may well have been swept away and killed.

Fortunately nobody was hurt this time.It could indeed have been a terrible disaster, with what the tour operator described as a ‘tsunami’ sweeping people away.

But we know that the area has been used by canyoners for many years, and we also know the sport is getting increasingly popular.

Lucky as it is that nobody was harmed this time, it is a lesson to be learned.

Firstly, does the energy company not have a duty of care to alert people who may be in the water’s path? And why should canyoners be complaining about a lack of information available to them?

Likewise, canyoners themselves have a responsibility to ensure their activities are safe, and to inform themselves of any release activities planned from the dam.

The positive outlook is to take this as an opportunity for a process to be formalised. If it is common practice in Europe for companies to give out information of planned water releases to the public, it can be done in Scotland.

Summer is coming and it’s time to enjoy the outdoors. Safely.