The first post in this series showed how to escape the system. If you find yourself needing to lower your second off, due to injury or not being able to get up the climb, you might need to tie two ropes together to make 100m of rope – enough to lower someone to the ground on most crags in the UK. You'll then need to pass the knot around the belay device - here's how to do it

Some climbing accidents just happen. You might just be unlucky, and be in the wrong place at the wrong time. But many accidents are caused by human error, and are therefore avoidable. Never be complacent and think that you won’t make a mistake. If you are climbing with someone you don't know well, following a pre-climb checklist can literally be a life-saver.