The head of mountain rescue volunteers in the Lake District has told hikers not to rely on What3words, a mapping app used by more than eight out of ten emergency services and the AA.
The app has divided the world into 3m squares and given each one a unique three-word address that can be given to rescuers to help find people in trouble. It is used by Cumbria police, which has called it a brilliant app and a life-saver.
However, Richard Warren, chairman of the Lake District Search and Mountain Rescue Association, said: “What3words is an ingenious system, but we do not rely on it. The first resort should always be a map and compass to try to navigate your own way out of trouble. Then a call to 999 and stay put.
“A couple of days ago Wasdale [Mountain Rescue] was called to an incident and was 100 metres adrift. That may not sound much but in blizzards it can be crucial. On November 20 Wasdale was called to a group lost on the Scafell range and the What3words location was three or four miles away.”
He said that mishearing or misspelling words tended to cause problems.
What3words said that the app was not intended as a replacement for learnt navigation skills, and added: “We are another location tool that can be useful when existing methods may not be known, preferable or practical.