Safety
Your safety is paramount to us. Accordingly all Mountain Treks are planned, led and supervised by a suitably experienced and qualified Mountain Trekking Guide.
These qualifications include Mountain Leader status and a current Wilderness First Aid certificate.
Moreover, each Mountain Trekking Guide carries a minimum of a Personal Locator Beacon, GPS, Compass, Maps, Comprehensive First Aid Kit and group survival gear – and the skills to use all of these.
We view Mountain Trekking as an outdoor activity with an element of risk and share the participation statement of the British Mountaineering Council [BMC] and Mountaineering Scotland [MS] which recognises that…
“…hillwalking and mountaineering are activities with a danger of personal injury of death. Participants in these activities should be aware of and accept these risks and should be responsible for their own actions and involvement”
Insurance
Each Mountain Trek Guide holds public liability insurance. It is recommended that individual Mountain Trekkers hold their own liability and personal holiday activity insurance. The BMC [British Mountaineering Council] and MS [Mountaineering Scotland] provide public liability and insurance cover specifically for activities in mountainous areas and membership of one of these organisations is worth considering. Please note you will need your own holiday insurance to cover disruption to your Trek outwith our control – i.e. transport issues or you needing to cancel your own trek.
Medical declaration
We ask all Mountain Trekkers to complete a medical form. This is so the Mountain Trek Guide can plan for any potential problems relating to an individual’s medical needs such as events relating to sufferers from diabetes, asthma, epilepsy, allergies etc. All medical information will remain confidential to Mountain Trek Guides, their assistants and the appropriate members of emergency services. All medical declaration forms are destroyed on the completion of a Trek.
Mountain rescue
All Mountain Rescue is coordinated by the police and is instigated by a 999 call. Trek Scotland Mountain Trekking Guides will call on the services of Mountain Rescue in the event of emergency situations needing specialised outside support. Mountain Rescue in Scotland is a highly professional voluntary service which is dependent on grants from specific organisations and donations from the public. At present it is free for all and there is no charge made for being rescued, including evacuation by helicopter. This service includes Mountain Trekkers from anywhere in the world and not just UK nationals.
Safety Policy and Participation Statement
Before you can attend a trek, you will need to agree that you have read, understood and agree with our Safety Policy and Participation Statement. This declaration is included within your Client Form which you will complete after booking. For your reference you can read both below:
Safety Policy
It is important to understand that we can’t remove all risk to trek participants.
Our Mountain Leaders all hold the minimum of the Summer Mountain Leader Award, have an up to date Emergency First Aid qualification and hold their own Public Liability Insurance.
We also hold Public Liability Insurance. Participants are recommended to take out personal accident and cancellation insurance.
We ask you to ensure your own suitability for a trek, by using our fitness grading. This also applies to any under 18’s you are responsible for. It is also essential that a participant’s actions conform to any safety guidance from the Trek Leader.
Participation Statement
All participants must understand and accept the British Mountaineering Council participation statement: “The BMC recognises that climbing and mountaineering are activities with a danger of personal injury or death. Participants in these activities should be aware of and accept these risks and be responsible for their own actions and involvement.”