Kintail Mountain Rescue Team has had a record-breaking year in 2025, with more callouts than ever before and a number of important changes taking place.

The busiest year in the team’s history saw the volunteers respond to 34 callouts, with a total of 40 casualties attended to.

These included calls to assist neighbouring teams including Skye and Glenelg, who the team have been working more closely with over the last 12 months. Shared training sessions have helped to develop closer relationships and a better understanding which enables the teams to work seamlessly together when called upon to do so.

Volunteers have put in a total of 2303 hours on callouts during 2025, in addition to 2784 hours in training. This equates to 212 complete days over the year.

That is on top of unrecorded volunteer hours for administrative purposes, attending meetings and additional training, committee roles and Scottish Mountain Rescue (SMR) training, as well as maintaining personal hill fitness and skills.

There are currently 29 mountain rescue volunteers on Kintail’s call out list, plus two trainees.

We have also launched a new category of team member this year with an associate member programme. There are currently three associate members on the team.

The first is Elise Belcher who the team rescued after she suffered a fall while attempting to descend from the Five Sisters. After an all-night rescue in February, Elise has been a proud supporter and ambassador for Kintail MRT and is now using her expertise in fundraising to help the team.

Our second associate member is Jo Page. Jo is a long-time supporter of Kintail MRT and this year completed her ambition to walk from Land’s End to John O’Groats in support of Scottish Mountain Rescue. A number of team members joined her on some of the legs of her 1100-mile walk.

Finally, former full team member Tristan Southall has been welcomed as an associate member after leaving as a full-time member due to leaving the area.

Tristan was central to another achievement which concluded in 2025 when the team became a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO). This involved a huge amount of work behind the scenes led by Tristan and KMRT treasurer Graeme Hodgson.

Other notable achievements within Kintail MRT this year have included:

• Long-serving member Jim Fraser was selected for a Distinguished Service Award for his contributions to mountain rescue. He is expected to receive the award at the Scottish Mountain Rescue conference in March 2026.
• Two new team members have passed their Remote Rescue Medical Technician (RRMT) assessment, while another has qualified as a paramedic, adding vastly to the team’s skill base and ensuring high quality medical cover on the hill.
• All full team members have been PVG checked during 2025 to comply with new legislation.
• Kintail MRT won the Mountain Rescue Trophy at the Highland Cross for the first time in more than 20 years.
• A new Vortex device was purchased thanks to an anonymous donation. The new equipment helps with managing rope systems at steep edges which is required in technical rescues, and all members have been trained in its use.
• A new water rescue group has been established within the team.
• Fundraising efforts have been stepped up with a dedicated group of volunteers focusing on this vital aspect of the team’s existence.
• In addition to the team’s base at Morvich in Kintail, a base close to the eastern side of the patch has been established which will make it quicker to respond to calls in Glen Affric and elsewhere in the east.

Team leader Lara Hinde praised the team members for their dedication and emphasised how important it is for them to look after themselves as well as the casualties the team is helping.

She said: “The main headline is that we’ve had an exceptionally busy year with callouts. Individual team members have all done their best to respond within the parameters of their work and family situation – thanks are due to all and in particular to those team members who have been able to turn out time after time and put the hours in when there’s a callout.”

She said there had been some truly rewarding rescues this year along with some more difficult callouts.

“I’d like to thank Peggy and Graeme for their work so far in making sure we are looking after ourselves as a team in coping with this and with the increased workload,” she added.

“The SCIO is now fully operational and our application to wind up the old charity has been accepted. Especial thanks are due to Tristan and Graeme for the time they’ve put into preparing the paperwork for this.

“It’s evident that a huge range of skills is required for a successful team – we have become busier and bigger this year, but I think we’ve also continued to develop as a team. Thanks to all the volunteers for their commitment and professionalism.

“I was particularly pleased that Jim was recognised with a Distinguished Service Award for his contributions over the years in many areas at both national and team level, to areas as diverse as helicopters, radios, Sarcall, and the funding formula. The award is very well deserved - well done, Jim.

“Finally, I’d like to say a huge thank you for some of the very generous donations we’ve had this year, especially from families and friends of people we’ve brought home. The team relies on donations to fund the work we are ready to do any day, any time, in any weather, so these donations are very welcome.”

The team is now looking forward to a new year of training and development in 2026. We wish all of our supporters a very Happy New Year – stay safe in the hills and sláinte!