The phones may be "smart", pity their users aren't.

I would even say that the 'smarter' the digital equipment, the more ignorant of the real world its users think they can afford to be. I see it happening on walks I lead: people lost in virtuality, completely unware of reality.

As a former Leader of Wasdale MRT (22YEARS ) I never thought I would say this but I do believe people such as the above should be made aware that if they are lost but uninjured Guiding fees will be charged for any service the team provides .Teams have tried without success to get the message across to these people ,perhaps hitting them in the pocket may bring them to realise that all team members are volunteers who have lives ,families and jobs that suffer because of the incompetence and thoughtlessness of groups like the above.Drivers can be charged with driving without due care perhaps we need similar legislation for walkers . Bill Pattison MBE.

Guiding fee applicable to each 'lost' adult in every call-out - not just a flat charge. That way each member of the party has to fork out the full fee. If applicable, could also charge for number of rescuers involved and hours of their time. Problem - some people might decide to just carry on and 'risk it' rather than make a call that will incur a financial penalty.

They are from the Warrior gym in Chester and on the wasdale mountain rescue page on Facebook have been calling the rescue team liars all day and excusing their irresponsibility.
https://www.facebook.com/warriorextremechester/

A video by one of the members shows their support team in the pub in Wasdale at 8pm when the walkers had set off calllinf the conditions horrendous.

If the people needing rescuing are deemed to be ill equipped or simply incompetent then the team should be able to charge for the rescue. It works in other countries. Genuine accidents and misfortunes would not be charged.

Yes, there's a lot of common sense in the previous comments. If people want to use the mountain rescue teams as a guiding service then yes, they should be charged. After all, companies that guide people for a living wouldn’t do it for nothing so why should the MRT’s.

The fact is, times have changed but (I mean this in the most respectful way) the mountain rescue teams philosophy hasn't. Gone are the days when 99 out of every 100 people on the fells had the correct equipment and experience, or were with someone who did have the experience. Gone are the days when people who are new to the fells approached them and the weather conditions of the day with respect.

In the past, if there was a call the chances are it was a genuine call for help by someone who was injured or crag fast and had tried everything they could to get themselves out of the situation and, were using the rescue team as a last resort. Which, I think I’m correct in saying that’s what they’re there for.

When technology came in common sense and the idea of self-reliance seem to have become a thing of the past. These days some people just turn up at the car park, put their trainers on and off they go with very little in the way of forethought and planning. The first sign of anything out of the ordinary and the mobile phone comes out.

The mountain rescue team’s are known by everyone to go out 24/7 regardless of the conditions to 'rescue' those who are injured on the fells and it's really sad to see this being abused in the way it is these days. or to put it another way, it's became a victim of its own success.

I could type all day on the subject but won’t. What I can say is something needs to change because it simply can’t go on like this. As someone who has spent the last 30 odd years walking on the fells 2, 3 or 4 times a week, it disgusts me to see people abusing the mountain rescue services in the way some folk do.

No idea what the answer is but here’s my two-penneth worth

They were doing the 3 peaks as it’s the best time of year to do it , you know when there’s about 8 hours of daylight and the weathers horrendous , got to question people’s decision making really . Great effort MRT ........ again

We seem to focus on the inappropriateness of using the phone to navigate. It would be interesting to know whether these people had had any training at any time in using a map and compass and how the subject was approached. The teaching of navigation in UK is random and generally starts with grid references and plotting, static map reading with no immediate consequences. As opposed to the skills to navigate on the move where there are almost immediate consequences positive, or at times negative.

The traditional plotting map reading approach requires numeracy skills which can be a considerable barrier to learning. Numbers were purely for communicating - originally between military positions and artillery, a one digit error for a grid or angle could result in home side casualties. Many aspects are taught out of context and made over cocomplicated. Is this the reason why people think it is difficult to map read/navigate and that the GPS phone provides the easy answer?

It may surprise people that there is no formal navigation teaching methodology in the UK. No course that a teacher can do within education to learn to teach the subject. The Geography exams require the plotting approach with consequences discovered a month or two later but without feedback of any errors or successes.

The “on the move” navigation approach does not require numeracy, has steady progressions of both skills, mapping, terrain and remoteness.

The best on foot navigators in the world are orienteers. Their maps have no grid numbers and their compasses don’t have rotating dials or numbers on. They have a simple and clear teaching methodology and everyone teaching the subject is trained and assessed to do so.

Cadets, Scouts, DofE, Ten Tors, Mountain Training all largely base their teaching on the military plotting approach from around 1936 when grid lines were first introduced on OS maps. Outdoor educators and organisations like the National Navigation Award Scheme (NNAS) are beginning to develop a different teaching approach based on Orienteering but with a view to preparing people for outdoor recreation primarily on foot and bike.

So perhaps we might consider how we can change the teaching process to be more relevant to recreation and avoiding numeracy getting in the way of people learning a rewarding life skill that is often a gateway to adventures and healthy lifestyles.

As others above have said, there is a problem with the methods used to teach map and compass work. The usual teaching method is to teach Map Reading, that is the ability to understand and interpret the information presented on a piece of paper, laid flat, in good light, without the distractions of wind, rain, and numb fingers. This is ideal for passing exams, but it isn't much use in the real (cold, wet, windy and possibly dark) world.

I was originally trained in the old methods, but have been Navigating my way around Britain for well over 40 years and hardly ever use any of the stuff I was taught back then. It's been that long since I did a position by resection, I've probably forgotten how, and the only time I use grid references is to tell people where I am.

Navigation can only be learned out in the real world, starting with "thumbing" a route and then progressing from there, learning to read the map and use a compass along the way. Using the compass, of course, adds a whole new level of unnecessary confusion, with bearings, back bearings and so on. While I have a Brunton Transit for surveying, my "navigating" compass is an orienteer's thumb compass, which points North. That's all! No numbers, no twiddly dials, just a needle that points North. Simple and so easy to use that anybody can learn how in less than five minutes.

I know there will be many out there who will, no doubt, disagree with me, and accuse me of oversimplification, but I haven't managed to get myself "lost" for many years.