Mountain rescue teams deal with 300 incidents a year

The research shows rescue teams deal with an average of 300 incidents a year including 25 deaths and 180 injuries.

Almost two-thirds of those involved in accidents in the past 10 years were experienced. A fifth were aged between 21 and 30 and primarily students.

The report estimates that 6.5 million days are spent in Scotland's mountains each year.

The research was commissioned by sportscotland and carried out using figures from the Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland to try and reduce the number of accidents.

While about 5% of Scots visit the peaks every month, the report said many people travelling to Scotland to enjoy the mountains were not getting safety information.

The figures showed that the number of accidents had narrowly decreased in the last ten years.

This research will help inform, influence and update the training provided by the mountaineering community Tim Walker Glenmore Lodge

The main cause of problems was given as poor navigation while inadequate planning and poor equipment also featured in many cases.

Men were found to be more at risk of having accidents than women due to higher participation levels and being more likely to take risks.

About a quarter of incidents involved minor trips or slips and many accidents happened in fair weather.

The study found almost three quarters of all mountain incidents happened to hill walkers.

A further 12% of accidents happened during snow and ice climbing activity.

Tim Walker, principal of sportscotland's national outdoor training centre Glenmore Lodge, said being properly prepared was crucial to a safe day out in the mountains.

More people are venturing into Scotland's mountains

"This research will help inform, influence and update the training provided by the mountaineering community and hopefully result in these figures continuing to decrease," he said.

The report's author, Dr Bob Sharp, said: "This survey is the most comprehensive of its kind ever carried out in the UK and provides an objective basis for looking at risks and hazards in the mountains for all those involved in mountain safety, training and rescue."

The research showed that the Cairngorms had the highest number of rescues each year, followed by the Southern Highlands and Ben Nevis regions.

The study follows a number of deaths in Scotland's mountains over the winter.

In November 2006, two students died of hypothermia after climbing in Coire an t-Sneachda near Cairngorm Mountain.