There have been no additional callouts up to 2100 hrs Tuesday 13/11/01  when this page was amended

NOVEMBER  2001

01/35: 10/11/01 (1830 hrs) -Saturday   Last rescue for the 2000/01 period 

Call from Workington Police.  19 yr old man from Halifax had slipped on the path, descending Brown Tongue and had sustained an ankle injury that prevented him from being able to continue.  There were only around 14 members in total but the casualty was just below the Lingmel Gyll stream crossing (approx. 280 meters up the fell) and the small group managed the carry reasonable easily.

He attended West Cumberland Hospital for a check up.  We closed Mill Forge rescue base at about 2200 hrs.

01/34: 9/11/01 (1700 hrs) -Friday

Call from Workington Police at 1700 hrs regarding a report of two "elderly gentlemen" who were unlikely to be able to walk down without mountain rescue assistance.  The Police didn't have an accurate description of the location but knew it was somewhere in the vicinity of the Burnmoor Tarn path, from Wasdale.

We found the two men (in their seventies and from the Derby area) part way up the path to Ill Ghyll Head (approx. 250 meters).  One of the men was just too exhausted to continue and was carried by stretcher back to the Fell and Rock Climbing Club (FRCC) hut at Brackenclose, where he was revived with warmth, food and drinks.  The other gentleman was able to walk with little assistance.

There were around 25 team members called out (including 3 at the rescue base).

The team had planned a night navigation exercise in that part of the fells anyway that night, followed by a tattie pot supper at the Burnmoor Inn.  As it was, we did the call out and still got back in time to make sure the tattie pot didn't go to waste.

01/33: 30/10/01 (2045 hrs) -Tuesday

Wasdale to Ravenglass - Solo walker reported overdue at Bed & Breakfast in Wasdale.  Found to be fine and well back at home in Manchester.  He had failed to inform B&B that he would not be turning up that night.

01/32: 29/10/01 (2050 hrs) -Monday

The Wasdale Team Leader received call from the Team Leader, Langdale/Ambleside rescue team whilst at the Mill Forge rescue headquarters for a committee meeting.  They and Keswick MRT were responding to a report that a 32yr old single male walker was long overdue on a route that would have taken him over Bow Fell, Esk Pike, all of the Scafell Pike range, Great Gable and Esk Hause/Angle Tarn etc.

A total of around 60 MRT personnel (L&A MRT, Keswick, Wasdale and Dog Handlers) responded.  Twenty-six Wasdale MRT members (plus three on Base) carried out searches over the Scafell range, while Langdale and Keswick concentrated on other areas.  Although conditions were not good, with very strong gale force winds and visibility limited to a few yards, the Wasdale team managed to conduct searches of
the main paths.  A number of team members bivied on the summit of Scafell Pike, in order to be
strategically placed to continue at first light.

The missing person was found at 0830 hrs on 30th October, near the bottom of Little Narrow Cove, in the Great Moss area of Upper Eskdale.  He had sheltered during the night and was in good condition, although he didn't know where he was.  We understand his compass had been blown away on the previous day and that he had made a navigational error somewhere around Esk Hause.  He was embarrassed to have had so many people looking for him but was pleased to escorted off the fells to Taw House Farm, Eskdale.  From there, one of Langdale Team gave him a lift back over the passes to Langdale and we returned to base.

Mill Forge Base was closed at 1115 hrs. and following a quick shower team members went to work (somewhat weary).

01/31: 27/10/01 (2145 hrs) -Wednesday

Group of eight reported overdue on a walk up Pillar.  No action taken apart from attempts to get more information.

01/30: 24/10/01 (0300 hrs) -Wednesday

Call from Police to rescue 2 injured walkers from upper Eskdale.  The group of 4 had started their walk the previous day.  Their plan was to climb Scafell Pike via the corridor route.  On reaching Styhead stretcher box they carried straight on towards Esk Hause and we believe ascended Great end via the band.  On eventually reaching the summit with visibility down to 5m, they became lost on their descent into Wasdale.  They finally came across a group of RAF officers camping at Samson Stones who helped them out of the upper Eskdale area.  On their descent two of the walkers slipped, one sustaining a minor head injury and the other a back injury.  The RAF group raised the alarm from Brotherilkeld (999 call).  The back injury was carried off by stretcher and the rest of the group were able to walk off unassisted.  The casualty was taken to West Cumberland hospital by ambulance.  The RAF group were taken by road back to Keswick.

The Gosforth base was closed at 0800 hrs.

01/29: 22/10/01 (2035 hrs) 

Two walkers long overdue walking from Eskdale to Honnister. Turned up before a full team callout.

01/28: 13/10/01 (1555 hrs) -Saturday

Call from Workington Police to assist 3 exhausted walkers on Lingmel.  This rescue started small but ended as a major stretcher lower over and down extremely difficult terrain.  The group of 12 had found themselves on the wrong side of Piers Gyll, high on the fell below Lingmel craggs.  One member of the group had injured his leg and was unable to walk.  It was necessary to stretcher him back down the craggs/ broken ground using the full length of the 200 meter back rope.  The walker was of large build and a significant challenge to the length of the Bell stretcher.  A lengthy and hard evacuation of the casualty down to Burnthwaite Farm to the waiting ambulance and on to West Cumberland Hospital.  Team members back at Millforge by around 2130 hrs.

01/27: 12/10/01 (1810 hrs) -Friday

Call from the Police to attend a walker with a broken ankle by Lingmel Ghyll.  The retired gentleman had slipped in Lord's rake and twisted his ankle but managed to walk down assisted by a fellow walker.  The advance team met him at the bottom of Brown Tongue and assisted him off the fell with a team member either side.  Stretcher was not required although it was taken on the hill.

All team members back at Millforge by 1930 hrs.

01/26: 11/10/01 (1250 hrs) -Thursday

All Scafell Pike - Broad Col.  Walker with a mobile phone (map but no compass) lost and seeking assistance.  Assisted by other walkers before the team got on the scene.

01/25: 7/10/01 (1515 hrs) -Sunday

Call from the Police to attend a lady with a broken ankle on the fell above the Outward Bound at Eskdale - the reservoir footpath off Giggle Alley.  The lady was given first aid on the fell and carried back down to the Outward Bound school to await the ambulance.  Taken to west Cumberland Hospital.

01/24b: 15/09/01 (1815 hrs) -Saturday

Call from the Police regarding a 67 yr old male, reported long overdue from Scafell Pike. The informant was back at Keswick, having last seen his companion near the summit at around 1400 hrs.  Cloud base was around 200 metres below the tops and there was a fresh, moderately cold wind.  The missing person was described as reasonably experienced but not carrying a map, compass, torch or clothing suitable to spend
a night out in.

The team leader decided to wait until 2000 hrs. before calling the full team and in the meantime contacted the manager at the Wasdale Head Hotel and a Wasdale MRT based SARDA Dog handler.  The manager went along to Brackenclose and spoke to two parties who were descending, having been to the summit.  The SARDA dog handler organised a Wasdale MRT navigator and prepared to set off up Eskdale. The missing person turned up safe and well at 1930 hrs.

01/24a: 15/09/01 (1615 hrs) -Saturday

Alarm raised by the manager of the Wasdale Head Hotel.  Two 18 yr old males (from the Wigton area) had become separated while descending from Scafell and one of them was now reported to be overdue. They were part way through a very long walking route and had been intending to finish back at Seathwaite.  However, the informant had last seen his companion at around 1414 hrs somewhere in the vicinity of Rake End Crags.  The missing person was known to be reasonably well clothed but he did not have a map or
compass or torch etc. The Wasdale Head Hotel manager went along to Brackenclose and put some effort into trying to spot anybody descending or traversing the fells.  The Wasdale MRT leader decided to wait a little while before alerting the team.  The missing person turned up safe and well shortly after 1700 hrs. 

01/24: 9/09/01 (0400 hrs) -Sunday

Call for assistance from a group of walkers ascending Scafell Pike.  Gentleman with an injured leg.  Team were called out to assist and the advance attended.  The gentleman was helped back onto the path by members of his group and safely made their own way back down without further assistance from the team. 

Team members were then able to get a couple of hours sleep before the helicopter practice at 1000 hrs later that morning.

01/23: 1/09/01 (1300 hrs) -Saturday 

 Call from Cumbria Police to respond to a male injured in Stanley Gill with a badly gashed arm.  He had been with a group pushing mountain bikes when the side of the path gave way and he fell about 3 metres down the bank onto the rocks at the side of the stream.  He sustained injuries to his chest, arm and face and was carried out of the gill by stretcher and taken to West Cumberland Hospital by ambulance.  The team were back at Millforge base by 1530 hrs.

01/22: 28/08/01 (1900 hrs) - Tuesday

Call from Cumbria Police to rescue a walker with a broken ankle at Mickledore, just below the Broad stand scramble on Scafell.  Details still to add.  Incident closed at around 0200 hrs the following morning (yes, similar finishing time to the previous nights rescue and work at 0800 hrs). 

01/21: 27/08/01 (2050 hrs) - Monday

Call from Cumbria Police to help rescue a fallen climber on Scafell Crags (Moss Gill) - fatality.  more details will be added shortly.  Incident closed around 0200 hrs. the following morning.

01/20: 21/08/01 (0045 hrs) - Tuesday

Call from Cumbria Police regarding a report of four missing people, believed to have gone onto Scafell Pike.  The group consisted of two adults (in their thirties) and two girls (aged 14 and 16).  There was little
information regarding their experience or the equipment they might be carrying but their wives had given an intended route which would have taken them from Seathwaite, up Scafell Pike and then back to Seatoller via Glaramara and Thornythwaite Fell.  The whole group were staying in a guest house in Ambleside.

As much of their intended route (including their start and finish) would be within the Keswick MRT area, the team leader passed the details over to the Keswick MRT, Team Leader and the two Team Leaders jointly worked on the incident from there on.  Keswick were able to confirm that the missing person's vehicle was indeed still parked near Seathwaite and they spoke to the wives, to see if they could get any more useful
information before we commenced a search for them.

Full call outs of Keswick and Wasdale MRTs were initiated at 0120 hrs and the one remaining search dog handler left in the Lake District (while all the rest were away training in Scotland) was also called in to assist.  The two teams jointly covered all the major routes around Scafell Pike and the ridge over to Glaramara and eventually located the missing walkers in Eskdale at around 0700 hrs.  They had made a navigational error and become lost.  They were tired and cold but otherwise unhurt and were therefore assisted to walk off the mountain, before being given a lift back to where they were staying in Ambleside.

Conditions on the summits were quite cold and windy and low cloud was causing  very poor visibility, particularly during the night.

All parties were re-called off the hill and returned to base by around 0930 hrs, 21/8/01.

Rescue postscript:

The team leader subsequently spoke to the deputy team leader, who's group were the ones that found
the four missing walkers.  It seems they stayed on their intended route up to the summit of Scafell Pike
but that they then went to Mickledore and descended into Upper Eskdale via the side of the Cam Spout waterfall.  From there, they attempted to find Esk Hause, to continue over Glaramara but got lost somewhere.  We think they spent the night sheltering in a small sheep fold somewhere on the south side of the
Esk/Cam Spout area and on the flanks of Esk Pike.  They were not very experienced walkers and had not been well equipped to cope with the enforced bivi.  It was perhaps fortunate that they found shelter relatively low down and out of the wind as the tops would have been much more unpleasant.  The search dog handler from Ambleside gave them all a lift back from Eskdale, in his car.

They did not report hearing any shouts or seeing lights of rescuers.

01/19: 20/08/01 (1400 hrs) - Monday

Cumbria Police control room sent out a request for assistance to an incident in Eskdale.  An elderly lady had fallen 3 metres into the stream bed at Stanley Ghyl, Eskdale and sustained an injury to her head.  The team administered first aid and carried the lady down by stretcher.  She was taken to West Cumberland hospital by ambulance.

Call from Cumbria Police at about 1400 hrs requesting mountain rescue support for an Ambulance crew dispatched to deal with a woman reported to have fallen in Stanley Ghyll, Eskdale.  She was reported to have sustained head injuries but we knew very little else at that time.

Having alerted a full team response, we found that Ambulance Control had received the call for assistance from an informant at the Ratty station near Boot.  They had realised the location could involve a long carry and potentially difficult extraction and on this occasion, immediately asked the Police to
organise mountain rescue assistance. 

Despite having to mobilise from our normal places of work, picking up team vehicles and equipment at our base in Gosforth, we managed to get an advance group (including Team Doctors) to the actual sight of the incident just behind the Ambulance crew.  As it turned out, a 73 year old woman from Thursby had
fallen a short distance off a path into the Ghyll, fairly low down.  She had fallen about 7 metres and landed in a pool of water, sustaining cuts/abrasions around her head and a fractured collar bone.  (Stanley Ghyll gets
much rockier and steeper with a 13 metre waterfall and 50 metre vertical rock walls higher up from where she had in fact fallen.  The team had gone prepared to deal with a wide variety of potential locations, some of which would have involved a very technical recovery operation.  The actual rescue was performed very quickly by 12 team members and only involved a carry of around half a kilometre to where the Ambulance was parked.  It took her West Cumberland Hospital for further checks and treatment.

01/18: 14/08/01 (1900 hrs) - Tuesday

The team were requested to search for a missing walker on Scafell Pike.  He was a Russian visitor in his early twenties, last seen by his two friends at in Hollowstones below Mickledore at 1400 hrs that afternoon on his way down.  The team were mobilised and the walker and his dog were found shortly after at Brackenclose by the same handler as incident 17b.

Shortly after the recall had been put out and as team members were leaving the base at Gosforth, another request for help came in from .  This time it was to locate one of the friends of the first missing person who had decided to go and look for the Russian walker on his own.  The team were again mobilised and search groups were dispatched to locate the person so that the incident could be properly closed down.  The missing person eventually phoned in to say he was safely off the fell and at Cockermouth after deciding to return to Seathwaite, collect the car and drive it round to Wasdale.   

01/17: 14/08/01 (late pm) - Tuesday

A Wasdale dog handler and navigator were asked to support a Langdale/Ambleside MRT search for a lost and exhausted walker on Crinkle Crags/Bow Fell area.  The missing walker was located at Brotherilkeld at the bottom of Hardknott pass by the handler who was about to start searching Eskdale.  He was safely returned to Langdale by their MRT vehicle.

01/16: 13/08/01 (2000 hrs) - Monday

Request for support from Cockermouth MRT to help search for a missing runner /walker who had failed to turn up at Seatoller following a man hunt game.  He had been last seen at Beckhead in the early afternoon.   The Wasdale deputy team leader carried out a limited call-out to undertake a low level search of the three passes Blacksail, Beckhead and Styhead.  If the walker wasn't located early then a full call-out would have followed.

He turned up safe and well shortly after the team were mobilised.  He had dropped down into Wasdale and had then retraced his steps back over to Seatoller.

01/15: 09/08/01 (1430 hrs) - Thursday

The deputy team leader was contacted by Whitehaven police to respond to call for assistance from a family who were cragfast on Nab Gill, above Boot in Eskdale.  The advance group could see the family stuck on the loose scree, high on the crags above the Burnmmoor Hotel.  They had managed to find a secure area in amongst the oak trees but were too scared to come back down.  A rope was fixed to the rocks and the young mother and her daughter were carefully led back down the mountain to the father who had raised the alarm.

This had started as a fishing expedition due to no access to river fishing due to foot and mouth.  They had been told that there was a tarn [Blea Tarn] where they could fish just up from Boot "...just go over the bridge, past the mill shop and turn left.....".

Unfortunately they got themselves lost in the overgrown bracken and then on the craggy area.  The couple were not dressed for fell walking as it was a fishing trip (i.e. plastic bag with bait and slip on shoes) - even so they had managed to avoid falling into the many disused mineshafts and adits which litter the face of the fell and were camouflaged with tall bracken.

The team brought them safely back down to the valley bottom to re-unite with the husband/ father.  Well done to the team member who had the awkward job of route finding, and carrying the fishing rod through the high ferns and gorse.

Just a short note to thank your team for the assistance given to us last week.   Their efficiency & calm is a credit to the organisation.   A pic as attached as promised, hope it travels without a hic-cup.   Good luck for future rescues & be careful !

01/14: 07/08/01 (2045 hrs) - Tuesday

The team was called out to search for a missing couple who had become lost on Scafell Pike.  Information suggested that they might possibly be in upper Eskdale.  Keswick MRT were called in to assist and other search dogs.  Team search groups were sent out to check main descent routes on the Wasdale side.  The missing couple were found safe and well but lost, by a Wasdale search dog and his handler in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

01/12a: 03/08/01 (0050 hrs) - Friday

The climber was using a rope technique whereby he led, then tied off, descended to untie the lower belay, then work his way back up.  With all the information available, the team leader called the full team out at 0100 hrs.  Shortly after this, the informant called the team leader to say the missing climber had turned up.  He had called in somewhere else before going home.  The recall went out at 0115 hrs.

Postscript - one of our team members who lives close to Buckbarrow, was talking to Sir Chris Bonnington that afternoon on Buckbarrow and did notice the young man making his way up to the crags.  Sir Chris had remarked on the quality of the Buckbarrow routes and that the climbing he had been doing on Santa Fe that day was very good and quite challenging.

01/12: 15/07/01 (2145 hrs) - Saturday

The team leader received a call from the Wasdale Head Hotel regarding three missing people (doing the three peaks).  Originally a group of 7, they had split up having left the summit of Scafell Pike at around 1900 hrs. Four of them had made it back to Brackenclose by 2030 hrs. but three were still overdue.

He was advised that they were two men (aged around 30) and one woman (aged around 25) and that they were poorly equipped - shorts, day sacs, no torches, therefore not really up to spending the night out, given the weather - cold, windy and wet weather, with low cloud and poor visibility.

Although the team does not provide a free guiding service, the team leader had the feeling that we would probably have to go for them.  He set 2300 hrs. as a further time to review the incident and one of the team members went down to Brackenclose to see if he could spot any sign of them descending Brown Tongue.

The team member rang again, from his mobile phone at Brackenclose at 2315 hrs.,  to say he had spoken to one and that the other two would be close behind.  The log on the incident was closed, having confirmed that they had made a navigational error and spent some time in Eskdale, prior to walking back over to Wasdale.

01/11: 15/07/01 (1525 hrs) - Sunday

Call from Workington Police shortly before 3.30pm on Sunday afternoon, regarding a report of a climber who had fallen on Lord's Rake.  They did not have details of the injuries but could me a mobile telephone number for the informant.

The Team Leader rang the informant but had to leave a message (as the number was unavailable -
a very common problem!)  He did ring Mill Forge as the Team Leader was opening the base and
gave details which lead us to request a helicopter.  The casualty had in fact fallen from below D Gully Buttress on Pike's Crag and had fallen around a 30 meters tumble fall, sustaining head, chest, leg and arm injuries.  He had been intending to do a rock climb on the crag but had apparently slipped just as he and his companion had reached the base of the crag.

In total 16 members of the team responded.  One of the team's Deputy Leaders was in the vicinity of the accident when it happened and was on scene with radio communications within a few minutes.  Three of
the advance group were lifted and winched onto the scene by Navy Helicopter (but not before
the advance had climbed to the top of Brown Tongue).  Everybody else had to walk and most
didn't get to the scene before the rescue was completed.

The team treated the casualty and got him ready on a stretcher, for winching to the helicopter.  He was then evacuated by air to Whitehaven Hospital accompanied by one of the team doctors.

The casualty was a male in his late 40's from Ulverston.  We understand he is comfortable in
the West Cumberland Hospital.

01/10: 26/06/01 (2025 hrs) - Sunday

Call from Workington Police.  Two more men, reported missing by the wife of one of them, from Brampton.  They had spoken to her by mobile phone at 1500 hrs. to say they were on the summit of
Scafell Pike.  At 1700 hrs. they had a further conversation to say they were on their
way home but they had not turned up.  Their vehicle was reported to be parked at
Wasdale Head.

We asked one of our team members based at Wasdale Head to look for the car and he confirmed it was still on the Green.  He left a note on it asking them to call in if they got back and at 2100 hrs. they did
so.  We informed the Police and no further action was required.

01/09a: 1/07/01 (2000 hrs) - Sunday

Call from Whitehaven Police.  Two people (22yr old and 56 yr old males - lightly equipped, no torches or
whistles had rung 999 to say they were lost (not injured) and needed MRT assistance to help them down.  Initially, we could not call them back as their mobile number was unavailable (a common experience).  At about 2015 hrs we did talk directly to them and determined that they had been onto Scafell Pike but were now trying to return to Langdale.

They described going down onto Great Moss and traversing over to the Green Hole area and Crinkle Crags.  From various features, we guessed they were only a few hundred metres south of 'Three Tarns'.  We therefore got them to continue northwards until they could pick up the path again and to descend to Langdale.

As no one else was expecting them in Langdale (they were camping for the night) we also rang the team Leader of  Langdale / Ambleside MRT to advise him what was going on, giving him details of their vehicle and where it was parked.  Langdale / Ambleside confirmed they had got down alright at 2300 hrs.

High fells opened up Saturday 6th June.

01/09: 5/5/01 (1210 hrs) - Sunday

Female reported to have fallen amongst large rocks.  Minor head injuries.  Coast Guard and RNLI involved.  Evacuated from the bottom of the cliffs by inshore rescue boat. Team brought her down from the cliff and transferred her to the boat.  Coast Guard were compromised by foot and mouth as they approached the top of the cliff through contaminated land and had to wait for MAFF to attend and decontaminate.

No change to foot and mouth situation. Fells still out of bounds.

01/05: 22/01/01 (1430 hrs) - Monday

Request to assist Keswick MRT in a search of Great End.  A single male climber, in his twenties, was reported to be lost.  He had in fact already turned up at Wasdale Head and the Police had been informed.
(although the message can't have got through to Keswick Police).

A Wasdale team member went up to Great End to recover the missing person's rucksack - which he had apparently left at the foot of one of the Great End gullies, the day before.  Wasdale Base was left open to maintain radio communications for the team member.   It turned out the missing person (from Canada) had been lost on Sunday and had got lost again on the Monday, while trying to recover his rucksack

01/04: 06/01/01  (2300) - Saturday

Support to Keswick MRT looking for a Man and his son who left Seathwaite via Grains Gill.  Wasdale SARDA member asked to search Styhead to Esk Hause with a navigator from the Wasdale MRT.  Millforge base opened up to provide communications.  Incident finished 0230 hrs the following morning when the missing persons were located on Glaramara.

  00/03: 29/12/00  (2125 hrs) - Friday

Alert raised for three persons last seen going onto the fells by a local farmer at 1400 hrs. with light sacks.  Their car with French number plates was left on the roadside at the cattle grid entry to Wasdale, just before Buckbarrow.  The police requested a search of the lower fell area.

A limited call out was made and the tracks within Blengdale forest were searched by vehicle.  A dog handler searched the upper slopes of Blengdale behind Windsor farm.  Footsteps were found in the snow leading towards Haycock.

It was a very clear night with temperatures falling to -10 centigrade and a good covering of snow.  It was decided to call off the search at 0200hrs. and resume at first light.  A second, full call out was made at 0820 the following morning to search Seatallen and Haycock.  SARDA lakes were also organised.  At 0830 hrs a telephone call (mobile) was received from the (four) missing persons who were camping at Greendale Tarn.   

Well intentioned false alarm, however considering the extreme conditions and the information provided to the police and team, the decision to search was appropriate.

00/01 & 00/02

Only two rescues since the AGM. One on 13th November 2000 was the rescue of two crag fast sheep, Middle Fell, Saturday 25th October.  The second was a walker with "cramp" in his legs at Hollowstones, Scawfell Pike in the afternoon of Saturday 2nd December 2000.  He managed to walk off the fell aided by the team although the alert was for severe cramp and inability to move.

00/54: 28/10/00  (1445 hrs) - Saturday 

 Call from Whitehaven Police regarding a 20 yr. old male walker who had fallen over amongst boulders, badly lacerating his face.  The call had come from another member of the five strong Bradford University group, who had raised the alarm by mobile phone. 

The casualty was a few hundred feet down from the summit of Scafell, in an area known as Greenhow and their location was in cloud and subject to very strong winds and driving rain.  When we found the group, they did have an emergency shelter over the casualty but they were in a vulnerable position, due to the extreme weather.  A French girl with the group had also started to suffer from a "panic attack".  Both her and the original casualty were treated and helped off the hill.

19 members of Wasdale MRT were involved in the rescue, which was closed at around 1900 hrs. A team member transported the group members round to Eskdale Youth Hostel where they were staying.