Mountain Rescue England and Wales (MREW) is keen to reinforce the message in your print supplement on the joy of walking (12 June) about enjoying the outdoors and putting a best foot forward. However, in the article about equipment (From boots to base layers: the best walking gear, 12 June), you omitted to mention a couple of other pieces of kit that mountain rescue volunteers would always recommend walkers to carry. A torch can be a life-saver, as can a map and compass with the knowledge and skills to use them.
Mobile phones are also invaluable in an emergency – as long as there’s a signal – but they need to have battery power too. MREW recommends carrying a power pack for charging, or reserving one charged phone for emergency use so that, if the worst happens, walkers can use their phone to do what only a phone can do – call 999 for the police and request our help.
Andy Simpson
Mountain Rescue England and Wales
