Finding your way and calling for help without phone signal

Before you go

• Check the Met Office mountain forecast and any warnings.
• Tell someone your route and when you expect to be back.
• Download offline maps for the whole area while you have Wi-Fi. See offline map apps.
• Charge your phone fully and carry a power bank.
• Carry a paper map and compass. Batteries run out and screens break.
• Work through the AdventureSmart advice for your activity.

Register for emergencySMS

emergencySMS lets you contact 999 by text. It is designed for people who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech-impaired, and Mountaineering Scotland notes it can also help when there is not enough signal for a voice call. You must register first: text register to 999 and follow the reply. Do it at home, not when you need it.

Calling for help

1. Call 999 or 112.
2. Ask for the Police, then Mountain Rescue.
3. Give the details of the incident you prepared: where you are, who is involved and what has happened.
4. Stay where you are until the rescue team contacts you. Keep your phone switched on. If you need to call 999 again, follow the same steps in full.

Knowing where you are without signal

Phone GPS receives satellite signals, so it can show your position without phone signal, as long as the map is already on your phone. Scottish Mountain Rescue highlights OS Locate, a free app that gives a grid reference using your phone’s built-in GPS, with no signal needed. A grid reference helps rescuers find you.

If the weather turns

Turning back is a good decision, not a failure. In cold, wet or windy weather, get out of the wind, add layers, and eat and drink. See our cold weather guide for the signs of hypothermia.