The women got lost at Minllyn Quarries near Dina Mawddwy. Photo: Richard Law CC-BY-SA-2.0

The women got lost at Minllyn Quarries near Dina Mawddwy. Photo: Richard Law CC-BY-SA-2.0

Rescuers impressed on walkers the need to take a map and compass after going to the aid of a woman and her mother who spent nine hours on a Snowdonia hillside.

The 73-year-old and her daughter, 39, only had a guidebook for their walk on the hills near Dinas Mawddwy.

Aberdyfi Search and Rescue Team received a call for help about 6.40pm on Tuesday when the two women reported they were struggling to get off the hills. They had been following a described route round the old quarries at Minllyn.

A team spokesperson said: “Using the PhoneFind protocol which quizzes the casualty’s mobile phone for location information, call handlers were quickly able to identify the group’s position.

“With good landmarks and a public footpath to follow, the prospects looked good for describing an exit route by phone so that the pair could self-rescue. As a precaution, two team volunteers were dispatched to meet the walkers as they came off the hill.

“However, conditions on the ground were challenging, and the lost walkers were greatly hampered by deep bracken and gorse, and though remaining on the course described to them, the elder of the two became exhausted trying to make progress.

“Team members met up with the younger woman who had made it through to better terrain and were able to assist the older lady off the hill.”

Team volunteer Graham O’Hanlon, who helped in the rescue, said. “The guidebook in question did not have mapping as such, so once the pair felt that they had lost the described route, they had nothing to fall back on to help them negotiate the terrain.

“We would always encourage people to equip themselves suitably when heading out to enjoy the mountains, and this equipment would include a map and compass.”

He added that there are some excellent pointers for staying safe on a day in the outdoors at the Adventure Smart website.

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