Be prepared

I have many friends in mountain rescue. But I’d rather meet them in the pub than call them out to me for an emergency I could have prevented. Here are the extra things I need to think about.

You have to be a woman of a certain age to remember when the Girl Guides uniform had breast pockets. This was very handy for those of us whose breasts were late arrivals. We could make ourselves look buxom by stuffing these pockets with all sorts of useful things – a piece of string, coins for bus and telephone, Elastoplast, safety pin and handkerchief. Patrol points were deducted if these were not produced on inspection.  Along with committing the entire semaphore alphabet to memory, this was called being prepared.

Later as I swapped guide camp for independent travel, I remember the Youth Hostels Association (YHA) handbook advising that I should never travel on the hill without a red flare and a slab of Kendal Mint Cake. Even in rural Surrey.  This too was being prepared.  

Today, there are safety issues everyone needs to consider in the hills and mountains, for example:

• Having the right kit, including a torch and an extra warm layer
• Using a good old fashioned paper map and not relying on your smartphone for navigation
• Keeping your phone charged for emergencies
• Being ready to ditch out if the weather takes a nasty turn

The AdventureSmart website covers these and many more.

Getting the balance right

If, like me, you have balance issues, you have a lot more to think about:

Look at the contours. You may be strong enough to scramble up, but it may take much longer to pick your way down, especially if the descent is wet or slippery. A path along a very steep contour may drop away sharply on one side. Those brown lines are there for a reason!

Look at the guidebook. Especially if it has a route summary table, which gives distances, heights and a difficulty grading.

Allow plenty of time. Even with good cardiovascular fitness you may take longer over stiles, gates and stream crossings.

Use poles. Trekking or Nordic, it doesn’t matter.

Don’t rely on previous form. It’s very easy, if you are familiar with a particular route, to be blasé about it. “Gowbarrow? Easy peasy. I used to run that!”

Take regular stops. As you tire, take regular stops to stretch, stand tall, and lift your ribcage out of your knickers.

If you take prescription meds

(Thanks to my neighbour Dr Tim Sanders, GP and doctor with Penrith Mountain Rescue Team, for his help with these):

Carry the details with you. Include them in your ICE (in case of emergency) details in your phone, and also carry them on a piece of paper.

Tell your walking companion when your next dose is due, and what it looks like.

Walk when you feel good. If you have on and off times of day, plan your walks and lunch stops to fit around these times.

Set an alarm. If a dose is due while you are out, make your phone or watch ping to remind you to take it.

Don’t stand up too quickly. Some meds lower blood pressure so you may feel quite light-headed. Take a moment or two to reset.

Carry enough to last you 24 hours.  If you were to be admitted to hospital, the ward drugs round might not match your needs.

Keep hydrated. Parkinson’s meds make for a very dry mouth. Regular sips from a Camelbak or Platypus water bag can save time.

Play > Be Prepared > Tom Lehrer

If you only know Tom Lehrer as the guy who put the Periodic Table of the Elements to music, you’re missing a treat. My family’s first venture into music tech was a big clunky reel-to-reel tape recorder, and this is the first thing I remember hearing on it, along with such gems as Oedipus Rex, Clementine, We Will All Go Together When We Go, and The Hunting Song.

Photo: Penrith MRT’s Morag, a rescued dog who is now a Rescue Dog

(Matt Nightingale)