Scottish mountaineering and hiking associations accuse Google Maps of showing its users "life-threatening" routes.
The John Muir Trust has warned the Californian giant of the danger it poses to climbing enthusiasts on Mount Ben Nevis (Scotland), the highest point in the United Kingdom.
The organization working to protect wild natural spaces told
The Guardian that it
had received no response.
The mapping app suggests paths with technical difficulties that even seasoned mountaineers would find it difficult to overcome, said Heather Morning, a safety specialist at the Scottish Mountaineering and Hiking Federation.
She is all the more worried that less experienced visitors are more likely to rely on Google Maps.
"Difficult to move forward without danger"
Nathan Berrie, in charge of preservation at the John Muir Trust, explained that the problem arises when the user enters “Ben Nevis” into the program and requests a driving route.
The algorithm then recommends driving to the parking lot closest to the summit.
From there, it offers a route as the crow flies to the top of the mountain.
However, the route does not correspond to any path or track.
“Even with good visibility, it is difficult to move forward without danger,” said Nathan Berrie, who is worried about the fate of hikers in the event of “low ceilings” and “rain”.
The John Muir Trust has also pointed out the routes provided by Google Maps to visitors to An Teallach, another Scottish massif.
The app takes its users there directly to the edge of a cliff.
A spokesperson for Google Maps said the app was "designed with security and reliability in mind."
She said the company was studying the issues raised about routes on Mount Ben Nevis.
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