Family trapped in Cratloe woods

Nwm2 · 26-08-2014 11:13AM #1

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/family-found-safe-after-massive-woodland-search-30536339.html

Not sure what the woods are like now, but I got lost in there a few years ago on my mountain bike - I was on the gravel paths/road, not trails.

No sign posts at all at that time, I went round and round, as it was getting later and later. Just about before it got dark, I spotted someone and asked the way out.

Put bloody signposts in FFS (unless done since).

highlydebased · 26-08-2014 02:27PM

There are now sign posts at intervals, some show direction for Meelick and Cratloe, and some show distance from entrance in km.

The trouble is if you stray into the side trails that are lessor walked etc there is no signage and it would be easy get disorientated.

Kess73 · 26-08-2014 05:35PM

Main thing is that they were found safe and sound.

Some folks might scoff at the idea of getting lost, but it can happen quite easily if a person was not used to an area and went off the trail.

Keano · 26-08-2014 09:46PM

Myself and my now wife lost our way about 8 years ago in them woods and it was fairly scary. I kept assuring it was okay, we eventually got onto a road near houses and met a guy walking who brought us back to our car.

golden8 · 27-08-2014 09:27AM

yes the main thing is that they are safe, try and think of the parent point of view lost with three kids. Also there is another thing that happened as well during that incident, is that the the search and rescue helicopter was targeted by laser thugs putting more lives in danger.

http://clareherald.com/2014/08/27/helicopter-crew-targeted-by-laser-louts-76545/

Green Giant · 27-08-2014 10:10AM

Kess73 wrote: »

Main thing is that they were found safe and sound.

Some folks might scoff at the idea of getting lost, but it can happen quite easily if a person was not used to an area and went off the trail.

Exactly. I've read a bit of online feedback to this story where people were being pure cynical and unsympathetic, saying "FFS what sort of eejit gets lost in Cratloe Woods?" :mad:

Just because one person knows every in and out of an area doesn't mean the whole world does

freedominacup · 27-08-2014 10:13AM

Kess73 wrote: »

Main thing is that they were found safe and sound.

Some folks might scoff at the idea of getting lost, but it can happen quite easily if a person was not used to an area and went off the trail.

So stay on the trail. Simple really.

Kess73 · 27-08-2014 11:08PM

freedominacup wrote: »

So stay on the trail. Simple really.

From what I have read, one or more of the kids left the trail, and the parents went to get them and then got turned around. Am guessing with the fading light and the change in the weather that they kept going in the wrong direction and things ended up as they did.

Personally I would not be quick to criticise them as with two or three small children with them they did the right thing by calling for help when they thought they were lost. It is the kind of very simple mistake that could so easily have led to a more serious situation if they had continued wandering around in the dark without calling for help.

Family trapped in Cratloe woods

Comments