A couple who got separated on a Highland mountain in thick mist were rescued in a five-hour operation in the early hours at the weekend.
The pair, in their 50s, were more than 2500 feet up the peak in Sutherland with the man ending more than 1.5 miles away from his partner, having taken a “potentially treacherous” route.
Nine members of Assynt Mountain Rescue Team (MRT) were called out at 7pm on Friday by the woman, who was sheltering in a bivvy bag to keep warm.
She and her partner had become separated in poor visibility while descending the 3156ft Ben Klibreck.
Team members located both people and helped them off the mountain with a safe return to their vehicle just after midnight.
Poor visibility on Ben Klibreck
Tim Hamlet, leader of Assynt MRT, said: “They were well equipped but they made an unfortunate navigation error.
“The mist created really poor visibility and the direction the man went – due south – was potentially more treacherous.
“The woman was under a bivvy shelter to keep warm – and it is one of the best life saving items of equipment anybody can carry.
“They were visitors to the area and were quite exhausted by their ordeal. They had also not seen each other for some time. The man was some distance away from her when we found him.
“We would also remind people to remember to carry a power bank for your phone – it can really help.”
Ben Klibreck, in central Sutherland, is an isolated hill, rising above a large area of moorland.
The mountain can be climbed from Crask to the south or Altnaharra to the north, but the easiest and most popular route is from the A836 to the west, by way of Loch nan Uan and up steep slopes to the summit ridge, which is then followed to the summit.
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