TRAGEDY ON BEN NEVIS AND THE EARLY DAYS OF MOUNTAIN RESCUE

THE three young men had reached the summit of Ben Nevis without incident and were on their way back down when one slipped and plunged into a ravine.

One of the others climbed down to his badly injured and barely conscious friend and carried him to a less precarious position. He then went for help while the third member of the party stayed with the casualty.

But by the time a rescue party had been gathered, the shock and exertions of the ordeal had kicked in and the man couldn't remember the exact location of the accident or where he had left his friend. The result was a frustrating and fruitless search lasting four hours before they came across the prone figure of the third man.

Thinking help wasn't coming, he had tried to descend but had been overtaken by exhaustion and the freezing conditions. He was also unable to pinpoint his friend's position, and rescuers carried him down to Glen Nevis where he eventually recovered. A fresh search was launched and after several more hours had passed, the body of the fallen man was finally found.

The year was 1836 and this incident, reported in the Inverness Courier, is believed to be the earliest recorded report of an accident in the Scottish mountains. It was long before there was any recognised mountain rescue service and the search party, as was so often the case in these days, was comprised of local shepherds, gillies, police and the like.

This tragic tale is recounted in the book Mountain Rescue in Scotland: The Early Years, a comprehensive guide to the history of Scotland's rescue teams. The author is veteran MR man Bob Sharp and his book covers everything from the birth of the idea of an organised rescue service and the struggles to bring it to fruition, to the early mountain incidents that proved the catalysts to its inception, all the way to key individuals and an up-to-date history of the various teams across Scotland.

The recent spate of call-outs in the mountains has seen rescue teams emphasising how many people still seem to be venturing out in winter conditions without the requisite knowledge, equipment such as crampons, ice axes and suitable boots or navigational skills.

It's interesting to note that although it's a growing problem, it is nothing new. The numbers of incidents may have been far fewer in the past but the issues are all too similar as shown in this book by reports from the celebrated climber and author, the late Ben Humble.

He maintained that the vast majority of mountain accidents were avoidable and could have been prevented if those involved had been more aware of the risks involved. He cited inadequate equipment, unsuitable clothing, poor navigation skills and bad planning among the reasons and was particularly vehement about those lacking ice axe and crampons and/or how to use them.

Bob recently helped to put together legendary mountain man David 'Heavy' Whalley's autobiography A Heavy Affair with the Mountains, and I'm delighted that he will be alongside me on the Moonwalker stand in the exhibition area at Skills for the Hills 2026 which is taking place at the University of Stirling on Saturday, March 7.

This free one-day event is organised by the Scottish charity Mountain Aid, which was born of a desire to carry on the work of its predecessor, Boots Across Scotland. It brings together hillwalkers, climbers, outdoor organisations and not-for-profit organisations for a programme of inspiring talks, practical sessions and activities, all designed to inspire confidence, skills and enjoyment in the outdoors, whether you’re an experienced mountaineer or just taking your first steps in Scotland’s hills.

There are six presentations. They include a behind the scenes look at mountain rescue presented by Police Scotland (Tayside) Mountain Rescue Team and a guide to essential first aid by the Ochils MRT.

There's an exploration of navigation techniques – both traditional and digital – from Mountaineering Scotland; an-depth look at Scotland's access laws and your rights and responsibilities from ScotWays; and the Mountain Weather Information Service (MWIS) will be revealing how to forecast and find temperature inversions. Long-distance walker Lorraine McCall will also share stories and insights from her continuous rounds of Corbetts and Grahams, in Lorraine’s Ups n’ Doons.

There will be a range of interactive outdoor sessions, such as a live demonstration of search and rescue dogs at work, a map-reading challenge and a hands-on first aid workshop while mountain rescue teams will be on site with their vehicles and equipment.

It promises to be a fantastic event – I hope to catch up with you there.