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Hillwalker airlifted off Balmoral Estate after tripping and falling 98ft down icy slope

Braemar Mountain Rescue Team helped get the casualty to safety.

Loch Muick
A woman was airlifted to hospital after breaking her leg in a tumble while on a hike near Loch Muick. Image: Braemar Mountain Rescue Team.

A woman has been airlifted to hospital after tripping and falling down a 98ft slope on Balmoral Estate.

The hillwalker was found by Braemar Mountain Rescue Team and taken by helicopter to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary on New Year’s Day.

She was hiking as part of a group of four when tumbled onto rocks and broke her leg near Loch Muick at around 1pm.

 Braemar Mountain Rescue Team lead hikers down the icy slopes around Loch Muick.
Rescuers lead the remaining hikers down the icy slopes around Loch Muick. Image: Braemar Mountain Rescue Team.

The other three members of the group were led safely down the hill following the accident.

Braemar MRT support manager Malcolm McIntyre warned that while the conditions looked picturesque, the conditions were extremely icy.

He said: “They were a bit unconfident on that steep icy ground and they didn’t have axes or crampons.

“I think people expect winter to be here and that’s it. But it does come and go, we’ve had freeze, thaw.

“A nice day followed by a horrible day does tend to catch people out sometimes.

Rescue helicopter headed to airlift hiker who fell down icy slope on Balmoral Estate near Loch Muick.
A rescue helicopter from Inverness airlifted the hiker to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary after she fell down a slope on Balmoral Estate. Image: Braemar Mountain Rescue Team.

He urged all hillwalkers to check the Scottish Avalanche Information Service’s website before heading out.

While the site monitors avalanche conditions, it also includes blog posts that document the conditions on many hills, often daily.

He added: “Please think about the underfoot conditions because we’ve had snow and then freeze, thaw and all the rest of it. It is boilerplate ice in many places, and you need crampons.

“That probably doesn’t mean the little pavement spikes that some people use, it’s walking crampons.

“Because even on icy paths if you don’t have them you’re skittering all over the place.”

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