Scarborough and Ryedale Mountain Rescue Team: 'Plan ahead' this Easter
It's issuing advice for people who are thinking of going for a walk or hike
People in North Yorkshire and the Yorkshire Coast are being urged to plan ahead if they are going to take a walk or hike this Easter.
Mountain Rescue England and Wales were involved in 3,357 callouts last year and their data reveals that over one in three of those were due to basic mistakes and poor planning, with 17% caused by human error, 9% by bad decision making and 9% by inexperience.
According to OS data, last year’s Easter holiday saw an 81% increase in walks compared to the rest of January, February and March. With a surge of people expected to get out and about this Easter bank holiday weekend, both organisations are calling for walkers and leisure app users to ensure they plan ahead and have the right navigational tools to hand.
Ian Hugill, Incident Controller at Scarborough and Ryedale Mountain Rescue Team, said: "Our callouts run through the whole year but our bank holidays are often the busiest times with more and more people in the area enjoying the superb scenery. In regards to going out on the hills, we'd push the 'be adventure smart' message where you ask yourselves three questions.
"What's the weather going to be like? Both while you're setting off and going out on the hills but also when you're coming back. The weather forecast for the next few days is quite bright but the evenings are very, very cold and frosty. Don't get caught out, take plenty of layers and be ready to wrap yourself up if something does happen.
"You may also want to consider carrying a group shelter which gives you protection whilst you're waiting for any rescue to come to you. If it's taken you two hours to get to where you are, it'll take us at least that long to get to you to provide help and with the pressure on the NHS and ambulance service, it could take the ambulance service even longer.
"Have you got a map and a compass? Do you know how to use them? Even though the nights are getting lighter, have you got a headtorch and a torch you can use should you become stuck out there in the dark. Don't rely on your mobile phone for navigation; things can go wrong, you can drop it, you can break it and the battery can go flat. Keep the mobile phone charged up and ready in case you do need to call for assistance.
"If you're going out on your mountain bike and you've never ridden on a black route before, then perhaps you need somebody to ride with you before you go out there. Don't take those risks. Again, the ambulance service are very, very stretched and it could take an awful long time to get you back to help."
Find out more about Scarborough and Ryedale Mountain Rescue Team on their website.