Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team ‘very impressed’ by child’s resilience during rescue

Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team was left “very impressed” by the resistance of a child they rescued near the Lost Valley.

The team started the rescue mission after it was informed by police that a party of three had become separated in the area.

They had encountered steep hard ice on their planned route down the Lost Valley or the Belach Dearg.

One adult had made their way down to raise the alarm, while another adult and a child remained behind.

Their whereabouts was unknown, and the team of volunteer rescuers immediately headed to their last known location as darkness fell.

Phone technology used to locate

Other team members started climbing alternative lines of descent and a helicopter was requested.

Eventually, the people being searched for managed to make contact with the police by mobile phone, and their location was found using SARloc, a tracking device.

SARloc does not rely on the lost person having the app installed before they get lost.

Instead, it uses the web browser already installed on the smartphone to interrogate the GPS and locate the person, normally to within a few metres.

The technology showed the group was almost at the roadside and they were met by a group of volunteers who escorted them the last several hundred feet down.

Unfortunately, the teams were already searching high in the hills and it was a few hours later before they made it back to their vehicles.

Child in good spirits despite ‘unexpectedly big day’

However, the team wrote in a social media post: “We were all very impressed by the resilience of the child involved who was still in good spirits after their unexpectedly big day in the hills.

“This group was found to be well-equipped and experienced but had been caught out by conditions on their route.”

According to the WalkHighlands website, the Lost Valley is a hidden glen where the MacDonalds of Glen Coe hid their rustled cattle.

However, it warns it is a “very rough” walk and recommends “great care” on its steep and rocky path.

But this was not Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team’s only callout of the week.

On Saturday they carried out three rescue missions, and another one on Sunday.

To keep up to date with their missions, visit their Facebook page.