Two hikers rescued after trying to climb Britain’s second tallest mountain in the dark amid -15C temperatures while wearing jogging bottoms and trainers
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Two walkers were rescued wearing only running tracksuits and trainers in minus 15C temperatures on Britain’s second highest mountain.
The pair, in their 20s, set out to climb Ben Macdui, 4,295 feet high, in the Cairngorms in the Scottish Highlands at 6pm on Tuesday.
But after two and a half hours, the hikers became stuck; one suffered from hypothermia.
Thirteen members of the Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team went to their aid and found the two men in a ‘precarious situation’.
“They wouldn’t have made it through the night with what they were wearing,” said team leader Iain Cornfoot.
‘One was suffering from hypothermia. It was in bad shape. “The other one was very cold.”
It comes as Britain is in the grip of an Arctic blast, with temperatures dropping below zero in large parts of the country.
A rare cold health alert was issued for the whole of England yesterday, warning that icy weather could lead to a rise in deaths.
Two hikers wearing only running suits and trainers were rescued in minus 15 degree temperatures on Britain’s second highest mountain
The couple, in their 20s, set out at 6pm on Tuesday to climb Ben Macdui, 4,295 feet high in the Cairngorms in the Scottish Highlands.
Large areas of England under snow and ice warning on Friday
Mr Cornfoot said the two hikers were found three meters apart and 1,050 meters up the mountain.
He said it was minus 15 degrees due to the wind. One of them was in a very unstable situation.
‘If he had slipped he would have gone a long way and been seriously injured.
‘We have no idea what they’re trying to do. They left Edinburgh at noon and began climbing Ben Macdui at 6pm in those conditions, with or without this equipment.
‘They were incredibly poorly equipped. They become steep in the Goat Path area of Coire and t-Sneachda.
‘The pair had set out with the intention of climbing Ben Macdui, but without crampons or an ice axe, they found they could not continue on the steep ground in wintry conditions.
‘It was very icy. It was a good job they stayed where they did. If they had wandered higher up in the dark, it would not have been a good outcome.
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Britain is in the grip of an Arctic blast, with temperatures falling below zero in large parts of the country
‘After some warm-up and reassurance the team managed to set up a belay and get them safely down to the corridor floor.
‘At 01:00 everyone came down from the hill and returned to the base. It was a good result in every respect but you have to ask why they did what they did.’.
The couple did not need medical treatment.
Yesterday the Met Office issued yellow weather warnings for ice and snow covering most of Wales, the West Midlands, the Cotswolds, London and Kent, parts of the Scottish Highlands and islands, and the whole of Northern Ireland.
Snow up to 5cm deep could cover some areas, particularly in the higher elevations of North Wales and north-west England, forecasters say.
Warnings will be in force until 10am in Northern Ireland and 12pm in England and Wales on Friday, but will last until the end of Sunday in Scotland.
Forecasters warned of possible disruptions and slippery surfaces on roads and rails in the south, while rural communities were cut off by snow and even experienced power outages.
A spokesman said: ‘This warning highlights the risk of devastating snow showers and icy surfaces, particularly in northern and eastern regions, the impacts on travel and potential dangers to the public.
‘We expect this cold weather to continue through the weekend and into next week; Other warnings are possible while temperatures remain well below average and snowfall continues in places.’
Cold weather is expected across the country, with 5C in Belfast, 7C in London, 6C in Manchester, 3C in Edinburgh and 8C in Cardiff.
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