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The Imejdag gorge approach to Jbel Tigounatine (Route 13)

There are no midges in the Atlas, and I’ve had far worse encounters with flies in the North Pennines. Snakes and scorpions there are, but many trekkers never see any. Snakes take off at the approach of humans, and scorpions, like snakes, tend to be localised. Some areas have them; most don’t. (Nobody really knows why.) If an area is prone to these I mention the fact. Being observant should be a habit – don’t put fingers under boulders, look before you sit (most vegetation is prickly), clear the ground round the tent, zip the door at night, and check inside boots before putting them on. In over 40 years of Atlas expeditions involving over a thousand people nobody has been stung by scorpion or struck by snake. So they’re not a big deal.

There is no regular mountain rescue service, as there is in Europe. In extreme cases a military helicopter might be called in to help, but it could take some time to get word out – this is less of a problem now, as even in the Atlas mobile phones usually work. In emergency situations the authorities at all levels will do their best to help. But, because the Atlas is so wild and rough, often remote and challenging, people seem consciously or unconsciously to take extra care. It is important to have some effective insurance cover, such as that on offer through the British Mountaineering Council.