The walkers were found at Grisedale Hause, centre
Mountain rescuers said walkers should be able to navigate without the use of a GPS device.
The advice came after a five-hour search for two women who climbed a mountain by mistake.
The pair were found by Langdale Ambleside Mountain Rescue Team yesterday at Grisedale Hause after an operation involving 15 volunteer members.
A team spokesperson said one of the women was very cold when they called for help at 4.30pm.
The spokesperson said: “After having intermittent contact with them, a search was organised.
“We managed to work out their direction of travel, since their survival blanket had ripped and was useless and they had decided to move again.
“They were located at Grisedale Hause, having accidentally gone up Fairfield.”
The team spokesperson had tips for walkers on the Lakeland fells: “Make sure you can navigate
“It is essential that you can navigate. Relying solely on a GPS, either free-standing, or software on a smart phone, is a hazardous strategy, and can land you in trouble.
“Being able to orientate a map to the ground you are on, recognise features on the ground as they appear on a map and being able to tell your direction of travel and distance travelled are skills that not only make remote-area travel safer, but it is also very satisfying.
“If your party gets lost, you cannot blame someone else for navigation errors. It’s everyone’s responsibility.
“Courses are available and they are often taught on a day out, so you don’t waste time sat in a classroom.
“The ability to navigate and keep moving in poor visibility, extreme weather, darkness and in unfamiliar terrain is a vital skill.”
The team had to contend with swollen becks and sizeable remaining snow patches during the rescue, its 23rd of the year.
Mal B
18 April 2013Excellent advice from MRT.
Margaret
19 April 2013I agree with you Mal - and with the observation, "it is also very satisfying" to be able to navigate competently. That skill and experience can't be bought in a shop.
heidi
19 April 2013what does it mean- they climbed Fairfield by mistake??
Martin R
19 April 2013I recently bagged the Hill of Towie instead of Knockan Hill. Mind you that wasn't because I don't know how to navigate , I just set off without looking at the map or GPS and marched off to what looked like the highest point on a lovely cloudless day. Mind you I got to see a trig point that I wouldn't have bothered to bag otherwise.
HT
19 April 2013A "Withnail and I" moment.
Jhimmy
19 April 2013Problem I see with some of the guys I've been "trying" to teach navigation with is concentration. They'll start off OK, then suddenly want to chat and lose their concentration.
Very recently I give one chap a choice of going left or right on a very clear sunny day. He just walked off to the right. Had he just stopped and looked around he would have seen a path with people walking down (it was that obvious) oh his left. He choose a steep scree gully instead!
I've almost given up.
Margaret
20 April 2013Its a bit like driving - a good driver will maintain a high level of concentration all the time, which also applies to a good navigator.
A consequence of using a GPS device is that it may allow you a reduced level of concentration, but then if things go 'pear-shaped', it will take a good navigator to recover the situation.
John (WMRT)
23 April 2013Concentration is the key to accurate navigation, and always have a map and compass with you nad know how to use both. Do not rely solely on anything powered by a battery for obvious reasons. Secondly Plan your walk and walk the plan! I've lost count of the number of people I've guided off the fells, not having a clue where they are.
Steve
28 April 2013Don't forget. There are two types of mountaineers; those that have been lost/misplaced and liars! The real skill in navigation is sorting yourself out when lost/misplaced.
Ian
30 April 2013I read an interesting 'old-fashioned' quote by Dougal Haston the other day.
"If anything goes wrong it will be a fight to the end. If your training is good enough survival is there; if not, nature claims its forfeit".
Maybe not palatable for modern tastes, but food for thought!