Warnings have been issued to walkers visiting the Cairngorms after three people had to be rescued from a mountain after walking through a blizzard in freezing temperatures.
Both the Braemar and Aberdeen Mountain Rescue teams, along with from Coastguard Search and Rescue, were called out to The Pools of Dee in the Lairig Ghru area late on Thursday, January 2, at around 9pm.
The mountain rescue team based in Braemar were alerted that three hill walkers were having difficulties, with initial reports suggesting one was suffering from hypothermia.
A full callout team was mobilised, with Coastguard Search and Rescue providing a helicopter to ferry the crew as close as possible to the incident.
Pictures shared by Braemar Mountain Rescue Team show the challenging conditions they faced rescuing the walkers
(Image: Braemar Mountain Rescue Team)
Due to the conditions, it could only get them to within eight kilometres, but allowed them to reach the walkers much quicker, writes the Daily Record.
Once located, the group were given shelter and assessed by a medical technician, and after some effort to warm them, it was agreed they could be walked down with assistance of mountain rescue team members.
To reduce the walking distance and time exposed to the elements, two all-terrain vehicles were deployed.
Members of the Braemar team were out last night on their first call of the year assisting three hill walkers who had gotten into difficulty in the winter conditions. pic.twitter.com/KkNTealKMA
— BraemarMRT (@BraemarMRT) January 3, 2025
After descending the Lairig Ghru, the walkers and mountain rescue teams reached the vehicles, and drove to Braemar. The incident was complete at 6.30 on Friday morning.
Aberdeen Mountain Rescue shared a video of rapidly-falling snow and strong winds causing poor visibility as the teams assisted the stranded walkers to safety.
The Scottish Mountain Rescue service used the footage alongside a warning to anyone planning a mountain expedition to be sensible and consider the conditions.
Rescue workers faced brutal conditions during their mission on Thursday night
(Image: Braemar Mountain Rescue Team)
Pictures shared by the team in Braemar show how heavy the snow is on the ground as they descend the hill with its uneven terrain, wearing high-visibility clothing and head torches due to the darkness and heavy snow likely obscuring their vision.
Just days earlier, the Aberdeen Mountain Rescue Team were called to assist a walker in difficulty who had scaled Bennachie on Hogmanay amid a yellow weather warning.
The incidents come as Scotland is hit with a blast of cold weather, with temperatures falling as low as 5C overnight amid forecasts of snow and freezing rain.
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With temperatures still expected to plunge over the weekend, a Met Office yellow warning for ice is in place across Scotland until at least 10am on Saturday, with icy surfaces potentially leading to difficult travel conditions.
Scottish Mountain Rescue highlighted the ThinkWINTER campaign, a collaboration between several Scots mountaineering organisations and Police Scotland.
It provides information and advice on preparation and keeping safe to make the most out of mountain experiences such as hill walking and snow sports.