British influencers warned against taking Instagram selfies at very dangerous ‘snakes and ladders’ site
With us all living through our phones these days, it's no surprise that people are always to trying to outdo each other.
Every post on Instagram has to be bigger and better than the one that came before it; you have to be seen to be having an amazing time every second of every day. Anything less and you're basically failing at life.
As a result, some push things a bit too far to get that 'perfect' post, the one that's going to make all your mates green with envy. And it can have dire consequences.
Influencers have now been warned to think again before putting their lives at risk for a social media post.
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Staff at Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team (LMRT) urged people to take care after a group of climbers had to be rescued from the treacherous Dinorwig slate quarries in Wales.
The post read: "The party had made their way to a quarry hole known as Sinc Galed (climbers know this area as California).
"With no set plan in mind, they decided to scramble to the top of the Eastern wall of the quarry hole up towards Pen Garret.
"This is an area of the quarry that even experienced rock climbers have avoided, being described as 'hideous' and 'harrowing'.
"While attempting to ascend this wall, two members of the party became stuck on an unstable ledge around 35 metres from the top of the cliff and decided, wisely, to call for help.
"Twelve team members were deployed to the top of the cliff in the Pen Garret area. From here a single team member was lowered on a rope to the casualties’ location to secure them on the ledge."
Luckily, the group were brought to safety unharmed, but the team warned that it could have been much worse.
And they told inexperienced weekend ramblers to stay away.
"The old buildings and infrastructure of the slate quarries (railways, ladders etc.) are over half a century old and in various states of rust and decay," the LMRT continued.
"These old structures and fixtures, which can often be found above precipitous drops, could (and often do) collapse at any time and without warning.
"No Instagram story is worth the level of risk that some people are unwittingly taking."
Adding: "LLMRT would always encourage inexperienced people to gain advice from professional and qualified leaders and instructors.
"As always, anyone heading to the hills should ask themselves the three Adventure Smart Questions:
"Am I confident I have the KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS for the day?
"Do I know what the WEATHER will be like?
"Do I have the right GEAR?"
Some food for thought, eh?
Dominic Smithers