The sunny spring weather has been great news for anyone who loves to get outdoors, but while many will be in the mountains come rain or shine, the pleasant spring conditions will have attracted many more to the countryside.
However, sometimes that can have a downside. A recent BBC feature on Mam Tor in the Peak District highlighted that the surge in popularity for the beauty spot has drawn many people to the hill who are ill-equipped and inexperienced, leading not just to problems with parking and litter, but accidents, as 77 mountain rescues were carried out there in 2024.
This was the highest number for anywhere in the Peak District, despite the hill being lower than the genuine mountains of Bleaklow and Kinder (over 2,000 ft). It is a reminder that popular hills are not necessarily safe ones. Nobody wants to end up on a helicopter stretcher, but they are a kind of equipment that may be much in use this summer.
According to the Environment Agency, England has seen its driest first half of spring since 1956, which means there is a risk of drought if the weather stays the same. But there may also be a high risk that, in summer, those enjoying persistent warm weather will head up the mountains without the right footwear, clothing, maps, or provisions.
Sometimes, the main problem is excessive ambition caused by inexperience. A past Mam Tor incident, in 2023, was caused when a man got stuck on unstable ground on a cliff on the side of the hill, where walkers had been advised not to go.
Of course, it is not just the popularity of new hotspots like Mam Tor that has drawn many people into the hills. The emergence of phone-based maps and apps has made them seem more accessible too.
However, walkers need to use these effectively, with Ordnance Survey advising them to use paper maps as backup and download routes so they don’t lose the capacity to navigate if they venture into remote, offline areas.