Mike Margeson OBE mountain.rescue.org.uk

Operations Director, Mountain Rescue England and Wales As a Lake District MRT member and a Winter Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor (WMCI), Mike is familiar with both sides of mountaineering, helping to both train and rescue people in the hills. “We’re trying to reach new and first-time users – people that really aren’t aware of safety measures in the hills – so it’s important to make our messages as simple and clear as possible. That’s why we keep it around three very key and specific topics. Leg injuries, trips and falls make up the highest number of accidents and quite often happen during the mid to late afternoon when people are coming downhill and are tired. Whatever we do, that will remain the highest grouping of accidents.

“I think light approach shoes and trail running shoes are best for the more experienced. People that walk in the hills regularly will have built up fitness, muscle memory and familiarity with the terrain. Whereas people new to the hills, without that, are more likely to be tired and then to fall. A fell runner is used to it, but for beginners the ankle support and appropriate tread you get from a pair of boots is pretty important considering the high percentage of incidents that happen going downhill. If you’re inexperienced, tired and you haven’t got any ankle support, you’re stacking the odds against yourself.

“When you’re making these decisions, it’s important to think about what your plan is for the day, what the terrain is going to look like, your level of experience and the weather.

“Mountain Leaders (MLs) and trainees should still be getting out there. We’re running ML training and assessment courses across the country now but we’re asking all providers to be really careful and sensitive about what they’re doing and how. There is a significant increase in people not knowing how to map-read or navigate, and with so many new people coming into the hills that’s even more of an issue.

“I think people can sometimes take Mountain

Rescue for granted. We are volunteers and the increase year-in-year-out is normally a challenge, but this year it’s even more so. We’re expecting a 25% increase in visitor numbers, and places like the Lake District are already very busy over the summer.

“We understand wellbeing, we’re all hill-lovers, and we understand that people want to be outdoors.

We’re not the mountain police. All we’re saying is, for the moment, while it’s so difficult, double-check the principles. We want people to think about the weather, their experience in relation to what they’re planning and to make sure they carry basic essentials like a headtorch and spare warm layer. This year especially, keeping sensibly within your skills and experience would be very helpful.”