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One of the world’s most popular hiking apps changed one of its routes when it had to rescue three pedestrians in the Lake District.
A pedestrian was stuck on a steep scree slope while following a route set by the AllTrails app at Barff Falls near Lake Bassenthwaite. They dialed 999 at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday when they realized darkness was closing in and there was no safe route down the 469-meter waterfall.
A spokesman for Keswick Mountain Rescue said pedestrians were following a route down a “rugged face” of a small mountain with no roads.
he said: This is the scene from the previous callout. ”
A pedestrian and his dog crossed the Slepe Crag, but with poor visibility in the dim light, they got stuck and “wisely called for help,” he said.
They were given harnesses and helmets, and rescuers used ropes to help them descend. A spokesperson said it was another reminder that some map apps have “serious limitations.”
AllTrails, an American company founded in 2010, claims to be one of the most popular hiking apps in the world, with over 40 million users. A spokeswoman said they had “conducted a review of this particular trail” and updated the map.
She told the BBC: Users can also suggest edits and leave reviews to keep trail pages accurate and up-to-date.
“We have also reached out to the Keswick mountain rescue team to see how we can partner to improve trail safety.”
She said the app is “an important preparation piece everyone should follow to have a safe and positive experience on the trails.”
The company advised users to look for trails with recent reviews and “latest trail info” photos.
Mountain rescue teams have long complained about some pedestrians’ reliance on maps on their smartphones. This trend seems to have grown since the Covid pandemic, when inexperienced hikers were drawn to the hills.
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