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Busy weekend for central Scotland mountain rescue teams

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Beinn NarnainImage source, Arrochar MRT
Image caption,

Beinn Narnain, pictured on a clear day, was the location of a lost walker on Saturday

Mountain rescue teams in central Scotland had a busy spell over the weekend.

The leader of Arrochar Mountain Rescue Team, which had two call-outs, said a rise in incidents had been expected after some easing of the lockdown.

The team was asked to go to the aid of a walker lost in low cloud on Saturday and a fallen climber on Sunday.

Lomond MRT had three call-outs, including to an injured walker near Conic Hill.

Until recently, the lockdown had seen the longest period with no mountain rescue incidents in 19 years.

Ken Weatherstone, leader of Arrochar MRT, said his team had expected a rise in call-outs after people were allowed to travel further for exercise, and that the team's patch is among the easiest accessed from large areas of population.

The team has had three call-outs since the easing of some restrictions.

On Saturday, the team was asked to help a hillwalker lost in cloud on Beinn Narnain in the Arrochar Alps.

The walker had managed to find the path off the hill by the time the team reached her.

Arrochar MRT was called back out on Sunday after a climber fell 30m (98ft) on a route up Creag Tharsuinn. Their climbing partner was able to raise the alarm.

The climber had fallen on to a slab of rock in steep terrain.

Prestwick Coastguard helicopter dropped off members of the rescue team close to the scene of the fall.

The volunteers carried the casualty to a place where they could be winched on board the helicopter and then flown to hospital in Glasgow.

The "complicated" rescue operation was completed in about six hours.

Lomond MRT's call-outs at the weekend also included assisting in the search for a missing person. Killin MRT and the Search and Rescue Dog Association were also involved.