Fellwalking

Three young people were on a final hike before an expedition to Kenya, and were being "shadowed" by two supervisors. One of the two females suffered a minor ankle injury. One of the supervisors left them to fetch a car to meet them, so they could descend by an easier route, but took 17 hours to reach Langdale! The group were eventually located by Wasdale MRT and were escorted in to Langdale. Sometimes you have to wonder who supervises the supervisors. A traditional "de-brief" followed at our base. Fortunately the Wasdale team didn't have to walk home.

Two suspected drug addicts went on a bender of methadone and hydrocodeine and were found after two days, lying in the sun, dehydrated and delirious. Their lifestyle had taken its toll and one had a heart condition and the other severe problems with their legs. Because of their conditions a helicopter was requested and it flew them to Furness General Hospital. This was possibly a failed suicide attempt.

A 20 year old American was reported as suffering from a heart condition after camping the night at Red Tarn. He was monitored and found to be tachicardic. This may have been a medical condition, or may have been caused by his hideously overweight rucsac.

A 55-year-old man could not get up the Bad Step and agreed to meet his friends on the summit by going round. Surprise, surprise he never turned up. His friends looked for him. We initially checked the roads, and were just about to scale up the search when he turned up in a taxi having gone down to Brotherikeld. He was unhurt, but £35 worse off.

This 76-year-old man collapsed and was pulseless and not breathing. A passing doctor administered CPR and revived the man. He was taken to Furness General Hospital by helicopter. A very lucky man by anyone's standards.

Kendal MRT assisted us in the treatment and evacuation of this woman after she slipped and sustained an ankle fracture. She was taken to hospital in Kendal MRT's ambulance.

This local woman dislocated her kneecap when she fell after her dog pulled her over. You feed them, let them sleep on the end of your bed, chase them round with a plastic bag, take them to the vets and this is the thanks you get!

We were asked to assist the Ambulance Service with the evacuation of this 49-year-old woman who had suffered minor facial injuries after a diabetic collapse.

An elderly man slipped and sustained serious lacerations to his leg. He was treated and evacuated to the valley.

An Australian woman on a bus tour of the UK slipped and fractured her ankle. Ironically she was one of the best equipped in terms of footwear amongst the group. Some people are just unlucky.

A 68-year-old woman suffered a recurrence of an old knee injury. Someone was sent on ahead to get us, but she made good time and arrived at the Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel at the same time as we did. The woman was examined at our base and allowed to go home.

A 37-year-old woman slipped and sustained a suspected ankle fracture.

This woman slipped on a steep fellside. She was treated and a passing helicopter saved us the trouble of a carry off.

A young boy from a large party slipped and suffered knee injuries. They helped him down for a while, then we took over.

The husband of a 38-year-old woman phoned 999 when she slipped and dislocated her finger a few hundred yards above the bridge near the bottom of the Ghyll. We were a little surprised at their apparent inability to deal with this one themselves.

Three climbers were reported overdue. We looked for them, but they outflanked us and turned up safe at the New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel.

We were on our way home from the previous incident when we were notified of a second incident. The helicopter returning from the previous incident assisted again, making our lives a lot easier.

This man tore his knee ligaments when he slipped. He was stretchered to Kirkstone Pass and then taken to hospital.

This man found himself at the top of this popular crag. He slipped and fell off, falling over 100 ft. He was seriously injured, sustaining head, arm, leg and spinal injuries. It really is amazing what the body is capable of surviving. He was airlifted to Furness General Hospital.

A 67-year-old man collapsed on a bridleway just above Elterwater Hall. He was treated on scene and transferred to an ambulance for transport to hospital in Kendal.

This man slipped on the lake shore path and sustained damage to his kneecap. He was carried UP- HILL(!) to the road. This is something we are quite unaccustomed to and don't want to make a habit of.

Tongue Ghyll seems to be proving popular this year. This woman slipped and injured her ankle. She was picked up in our Landrover and driven down the fell.

A young man with a history of blackouts suffered one on the bank of Mill Ghyll, causing him to fall 25 ft into the Ghyll. He sustained a suspected jaw fracture and spinal injuries. He was treated and evacuated by stretcher to an ambulance.

A man reported his Grandfather overdue for a rendezvous at Silverthwaite Car Park. He was tracked down in the Britannia Inn, Elterwater, well on his way to inebriation.

A party of five plus a man and wife met up, although hopelessly lost in the vicinity of Scandale Pass. They phoned 999 on a mobile and were talked down to Scandale Pass, where they were met by team members and escorted off.

A man was reported as in this area having a broken leg. We looked and couldn't find him. Further enquiries to the Police revealed that they had misheard Tongue Ghyll for Tom Ghyll and should have called out Coniston. This was done and the man was rescued.

A group allowed one of its inexperienced members to become separated near the summit of Pike O'Blisco. Despite his lack of map and compass he was located making his own way back to Langdale.

Two people became benighted when their torch battery failed. Take a spare battery and bulb-PLEASE!

Three experienced walkers were struck by lightning while descending The Band. All three suffered burns and shock. They were evacuated to Furness General Hospital by helicopter.

We were notified by the Police of an incident at a place I'll call Blea Blurr. Two men were lost in a blizzard and one had suffered leg injuries. The Police didn't get the second part of the name. It was lost in the atmospheric fug that accompanies many mobile phone calls in this area. We checked out our Blea Tarn and Rigg and found nothing. Keswick and Wasdale checked out their own Bleas, and found nothing. Penrith Team checked out their Blea water and found them. After a thorough soaking, a bit of exercise and a lot of head scratching we went home.