In a concerning trend, the advent of social media and the proliferation of low-quality navigation apps appear to be driving a record number of callouts for mountain rescue services across the UK. Recent analysis indicates a notable rise in the number of individuals, particularly young people, requiring rescue from perilous outdoor situations. This surge has garnered attention as mountain rescue teams in England and Wales recorded their first-ever daily callouts throughout the entire year of 2024, while Scotland saw its rescue incidents exceed 1,000 for the first time.

According to data from Mountain Rescue England and Wales, which was analyzed by Ordnance Survey and shared exclusively with the Guardian, the overall number of rescues has surged by 24% between 2019 and 2024. This increase is particularly pronounced among the 18-24 age demographic, where rescues nearly doubled from 166 to a staggering 314 incidents.

The chief executive of Mountain Rescue England and Wales, Mike Park, highlighted that the rise in rescues among younger individuals has been influenced by the popularity of honeypot locationspicturesque sites that gain traction on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. These visually appealing spots often lure adventurers, many of whom are increasingly relying on digital navigation tools that may lack detailed information or offline capabilities.

Park explained, It is difficult to pinpoint a definitive reason for the uptick in rescues among younger people, who have now surpassed the 50-54 age group, which experienced a slight decline in rescue numbers from 170 in 2019 to 165 in 2024. He elaborated, From our incident reports, we can see that more individuals are drawn to risky terrain by social media posts. Additionally, the navigation apps in use are not always appropriate for outdoor adventures. When you combine this with a tendency to follow popular online routes without understanding the potential hazards, it becomes clear that those most dependent on their phones are the ones finding themselves in trouble.

While the younger demographic constitutes the majority of callouts, older age groups have not been spared either. The 40-44 age category ranked second among adults needing urgent assistance, with 196 rescues reported last year. There was also a notable increase in rescues among the 75-79 age group, which doubled from 56 to 112. Furthermore, the data revealed that there were 93 rescues involving individuals over the age of 80, up from 75 in 2019.

The areas experiencing the highest callout rates include popular destinations like Eryri (Snowdonia), the Lake District, and the Peak District, followed closely by other national parks. Notably, there were also significant callout instances in regions such as South Wales, Northumberland, and Cornwall, as reported by Ordnance Survey.

In a separate disclosure, Scottish Mountain Rescue announced that its teams had been called out a record 1,000 times in 2024. These operations resulted in the successful rescue of 740 individuals and 17 animals, conducted by 25 civilian mountain rescue teams, alongside three Police Scotland mountain rescue teams and one RAF mountain rescue team.

Mike Park emphasized that the fact that rescue teams were called out every day in England and Wales is only a fraction of the larger narrative. Many of the busiest teams are facing multiple simultaneous callouts, which places significant strain on our unpaid volunteers, their employers, friends, and families, he remarked.

In light of the alarming increase in rescues, volunteers from the Lake District, some of the most active rescue teams, conveyed concerns to the Guardian earlier this year, worrying that the rising number of incidents may not be sustainable. The increasing demands placed on these volunteers, most of whom maintain full-time jobs, is becoming a pressing issue.

To further illustrate the trend, Ordnance Survey revealed that Good Friday was the peak day for outdoor activities such as walking, cycling, or jogging in 2024, as indicated by data from its app. Nick Giles, the managing director for leisure at Ordnance Survey, cautioned that a lack of thorough preparation can easily transform a delightful day into a frustrating and distressing experience.

In his closing remarks, Giles urged those planning to explore remote areas to equip themselves with both the OS Maps app and a traditional paper map, stating, Doing so will ensure that you have a wonderful adventure without the risk of becoming lost or stranded.