IT is unfortunate that in your report of the hillwalkers rescued in the Cairngorms you describe them as having "conquered" Ben Macdui (“Helicopter lifts lost Cairngorms walkers and their dogs to safety”, The Herald, Octo-ber 23). Anyone with any experience of the hills knows that the hills are neutral: getting up and down again – surviving –is desirable but only possible with good preparation: doing it in good weather with a viewa nd so on is a bonus. The rescued party seem to have lacked preparation, equipment and knowledge so their survival de-pended on others.

Sir Edward Whymper's counsel was to "Do nothing in haste; look well to each step, and from the beginning think what may be the end." He could have added: remember that the hills don't care whether you get up and down or not.

Brian Chrystal,

55 Craiglockhart Road, Edinburgh.