Two Sisters of Mercy in their early 60s were rescued early on Thursday after they got lost while walking in the Wicklow Mountains
The two nuns, who yesterday were reported to be uninjured but embarrassed by the incident, were found by gardaí from Roundwood and the Glen of Imaal Mountain Rescue team.
The sisters had parked their car at Oldbridge near Lough Dan Scout Centre at 3 p.m. on Wednesday and set off on the Wicklow Way, a hilly track that overlooks the lake in the area.
They had planned to head off and eventually reach the Sally Gap. They walked up the valley and tried to find a place to cross the river. At 8 p.m. they knew they were lost and decided to try to start walking back.
One source involved in the rescue operation said: "By this time it was getting dark, and they had no torch. They had thought of staying the night, but one sister was wearing shorts and she began to get very cold and was shaking."
One sister had a mobile phone and contacted gardaí before midnight. They were found at 1 a.m. by the rescue services and were escorted down and back to their car by gardaí and members of the mountain rescue team. The source said: "They were not injured and were happy to be back, but they were mortified and sorry they had to bring so many people out and did not want their names given out."
Mountain Rescue, which is an entirely voluntary organisation, and the Mountaineering Council of Ireland yesterday both issued warnings to walkers to take care and prepare for walks.
Ms Helen Lawless of the Mountaineering Council of Ireland said it seemed on anecdotal evidence there were more call-outs this year than other years to rescue hill-walkers, definitely in the Dublin-Wicklow area and in Co Kerry. These would mainly be people who had got lost and needed help, she said.
"This could be due to the good weather. It was understandable on a good sunny day that people would go hill-walking, but the weather could change very fast, and there could be sunshine, strong winds and heavy rain all in one afternoon.
"It can turn very cold, and mists can come down quite quickly. If people are hill-walking the temperatures will be lower and the winds stronger, and you are more likely to get mist and rain," she warned.
Each year inexperienced walkers and visitors are involved in incidents and accidents that require mountain rescue call-outs. A leaflet, Walk Safely, has been issued by the Mountaineering Council, the National Waymarked Ways Advisory Committee and the Countryside Access & Activities Network.