Scotland may be one of the most beautiful countries in the world but our stunning terrain doesn’t come without its setbacks.
Although most individuals who venture out into the wild do so responsibly and take suitable measures to ensure their safety, the same can’t be said for the six individuals who made their way onto our list.
Here are six bizarre circumstances which led to Scottish rescuers being called out…
1) The walker who used his phone for directions…until it ran out of battery 2,000ft up
A walker from London relying solely on his mobile phone to guide him 2,000ft up a mountain range had to be rescued when his phone ran out of battery.
Police and rescuers criticised the walker who had to be airlifted off the Skye mountain that he did not even know its name.
The 23-year-old called for help after getting stuck more than 2000 feet up on a ledge on Bla Bheinn on Skye.
He told rescuers that he liked the look of the mountain in the Cuillin Range and decided to climb it using just a Google map on his mobile phone, which later ran out of power.
2) The tourist who ‘wanted to see the snow’…in his flip flops
A tourist had to be rescued from one of Scotland’s highest mountains after attempting to climb the peak wearing flip-flops.
The walker and two friends were exploring 4,006ft Aonach Mor in Lochaber near Fort William to “see the snow” when he slipped and hurt his ankle.
Members of Lochaber Mountain Rescue stretchered the injured man to the mountain’s gondola lift and then on to a waiting ambulance which took him to the Belford Hospital at Fort William.
3) The woman who attempted to climb Ben Nevis with a pair of shorts and a selfie stick
Sara Albone was on a mountain biking tour through Scotland and spontaneously decided to climb the UK’s highest mountain.
The 28-year-old reached the top – but amid blizzard conditions soon began displaying signs of hypothermia, including dizziness and difficulty moving.
Luckily, two pairs of climbers scaling the North Face of the 4,411ft peak reached the summit at about the same time and saw Miss Albone, who they described as “frozen and drenched”.
4. The hoaxer who sparked a £5,000 rescue operation after stamping ‘help’ in the snow
Paul Manchester, an experienced climber and vet, was fined £600 for putting lives at risk by stamping out “help” on Slioch in Wester Ross after he and friends climbed the 3218ft mountain.
The message was spotted by a nearby guesthouse and Torridon Mountain Rescue Team and Stornoway’s coastguard helicopter were called out, costing an estimated £5,000.
5. The drunk anglers who triggered separate ‘needless’ emergencies by not updating rescuers
A party of anglers failed to inform rescuers when a missing party in their group returned to camp, resulting in two search parties being sent out and valuable resources being used up.
The anglers were reported to have been ‘drinking heavily’ and the group were criticised for potentially putting lives at risk with their actions.
6. The climber who attempted to scale Ben Nevis during a massive storm
The climber was rescued in the midst of ‘certain death’ after attempting to climb Britain’s highest mountain at the height of Storm Abigail.
He was later blasted on social media for his actions, with some even suggesting he should be billed for the cost of the operation.
