Welcome Back – Questions and Answers
Welcome Back – Questions and Answers
We would like to start by thanking you all for your continued support and keeping us quiet since March. We have been as eager as everyone else to get back out into the mountains. Below is another Q&A on where things stand from Scottish MR:
Can I visit the Scottish Mountains again?
YES, YES, YES! Welcome back!
When will people from further afield be allowed to visit the hills (outwith the 5 mile travel restriction)?
From Friday 3rd July.
Are we back to normal when we visit the hills?
No! We need to work together and remember what we are trying to achieve to make this work.
Can I go Wild Camping?
Unfortunately not quite yet – the Scottish Government have advised that Wild Camping will not be able to happen until the 15th July.
Are SMR teams responding to callouts?
Yes, a lot of work has gone in to new procedures to try and make callouts as safe as possible for our team members and casualties. We also now have an adequate stock of basic PPE for a few rescues for each team.
Should I feel guilty if I need to call MR?
No, accidents happen, we would be concerned if you didn’t call us. We are here to help, not judge.
Are rescues the same as before?
No, they will be much slower, with fewer people, more walking and carrying for us and on some occasions we may decide that we can help by phone only.
What can I do to help make it work?
Self-reliance. Plan your day carefully, refresh your skills and knowledge, stick to the type of days that you know you have done safely for several years already. Be sensitive to any local community you are visiting, they are also worried.
Do I need to take any extra equipment?
You may well have to wait for longer than we would normally like for a rescue, so group shelter or survival bag, extra warm clothing and food are a good idea. Assume you will be out overnight if that helps to plan, although we hope it won’t be the case.
How else can I help?
If you are reading this we suspect you will be pretty well prepared already. But we are concerned that there is a group of people, who don’t usually go to the hills, who are keen to come and experience the benefits of hill walking so please share this to anyone you know of and direct them to Mountaineering Scotland for guidance.