Mountaineering groups warned hill-walkers not to over-estimate their skills or underestimate the hazards when attempting mountain walks in the light of the weekend tragedy in Kerry.
Ms Helen Lawless, development officer with the Mountaineering Council of Ireland, said some people mistakenly differentiated between hill-walking and climbing and believed they only needed training and proper equipment for the latter.
Map-reading and compass work are first on the council's list of essential skills for mountaineers, no matter what level of the pursuit they engage in.
"An initial error in navigation is the reason for most call-outs of the rescue services. Most accidents are the result of a slip, but the reason the person was on slippery ground is usually a navigational error that brought them somewhere they didn't expect to be," Ms Lawless said.
The mountaineering council has 113 affiliated clubs around the country with more than 6,000 registered individual members, but Ms Lawless believes up to 60,000 hill-walk as a hobby. "It has grown hugely in popularity in recent years, presumably because people have more leisure time and transport," she said.
"There is a huge amount of experience in the clubs. It gives people a really useful start. They can learn their way around maps and compass skills and the local mountains and gradually build up their experience," Ms Lawless said.
"Having said that, anybody can take up hillwalking anywhere in the country with very little equipment, but we would always advise them to start at an easy level and progress to bigger mountains."
The Kerry Mountain Rescue Team has this advice:
•Learn to navigate accurately in all conditions. A recent, detailed map and good compass skills are essential.
•Plan your route carefully, taking into consideration distance, height, hours of daylight, experience and fitness levels.
•Carry the correct equipment: the basics are boots with good grip, waterproof jacket and leggings, warm clothing, food, water, torch and whistle.
•Get a weather forecast but be prepared for sudden change;
•Leave word of your intended route and estimated time of return.
•Stay calm; in case of an accident or a sudden change of conditions, take time to decide on best strategy and, if phoning or sending a group for help, make sure you give the fullest possible details about your location.