Rescuers who helped two walkers in “exceptionally windy” conditions have revealed the mission was the third in a row where those involved had no map or compass.
Members of the Cairngorm and Braemar mountain rescue teams were scrambled on Tuesday evening after two people were reported missing near Ben Macdui in the Cairngorms.
Willie Anderson, the leader of Cairngorm mountain rescue team, said searchers had to cope with 100mph winds and poor information from the missing walkers.
He said the pair had parked their car and set off for Ben Macdui using mobile phones for guidance, but had decided to turn back when they were unable to reach the mountain.
Mr Anderson said they “must have done a 180-degree turn again” as they tried to make their way back, before being found by members of the Braemar team at about 11pm, six hours after they had been reported missing.
Mr Anderson said: “That’s the third rescue we’ve had in a row on Ben Macdui where no one in the group has had a map or compass, and given the publicity that it gets we just can’t understand why folk think they can venture up there using a mobile phone.
“Had the temperatures gone down we would have been really concerned.”
