Two men were unable to continue when they descended in to the Upper Esk by mistake.
In a joint operation with Wasdale MRT, they were recovered and returned to Langdale
A man separated from his friends to continue to Bowfell while they returned to the valley. When he hadn't returned by 7pm a search was organised.
Luckily he was located by some mountain leaders, who where carrying out a night navigation exercise in the same place (commonly known as The Middle Of Nowhere!) as he went to ground, cold, hungry and very wet. They were able to contact police and pass their location and plan was hatched whereby they would walk him down to Lingcove Bridge, where he would be met by a Wasdale MRT group who had deployed to search that area.
The Team assisted by Keswick M.R.T. and S.A.R.D.A. searched in torrential rain for a 53 year old man from Lincoln who was reported overdue on walk from Scafell. The man who had neither torch, map nor compass, was found Benighted in Rossett Gill. Escorted to safety.
Nine Lake District teams, two from the Mid-Pennines, a mine rescue unit, S.A.R.D.A. and RAF Linton M.R.T. searched for two days when a 29 year old man from Kendal left a suicide note. Found by search dog in Yeasty Rigg Gill, Mosedale with very severe injuries and shock. Airlifted to Whitehaven Hospital by a helicopter from RAF Leconfield.
A search was mounted for a 32 year old female from Bristol who was last seen on Longtop. Possible domestic "Tiff". Found at Boot, Eskdale, unharmed.
The Team were called out to search for a 23 year old woman and a 19 year old man from Burton-on-Trent and Tatbury after they had been reported overdue at Langdale by a friend. They had been on a walk to Scafell. After searching all night they were found safe and well at 9-00 a.m. on 24th December.
Footnote: This couple had a tent with them and night caught them out on the tops so they camped at "Langdale Comb". They seemed rather cold but otherwise O.K. Weather Conditions: Snow and Sleet, Cold, Mist, Ice Underfoot, also Wet.
The Team were called out to search for 2 adults aged 48 and 28 years and 9 Cadets average age 17 years from Wealdston and Harrow area. They were all safe and well (just) at 2-30 a.m. on 29th October. They had no idea where they were and navigation was very poor as was their equipment.
Two men, both aged 26 years, from Lancaster and Morecambe were reported missing by the parents of one of them. They had been walking from Langdale to Eskdale. They had phoned home from Brotherilkeld telephone base at 7.00 p.m. on 29.12.76 and said they would be late home having first to go back to Langdale for their car. Found safe and well at a Wasdale Hotel at 1.00 p.m. on 30.12.76.
Footnote: These two men had been safe and inside the Wasdale Hostel since 1.30 a.m. on the 30.12.76 but had not seen fit to tell anybody.
A 68-year-old climber set off ahead of his friends on the descent from Bowfell Buttress, supposedly via Three Tarns and the Band. He never arrived back at their campsite in Langdale. He was reported as very experienced, but didn't appear to be very well equipped. As a search was organised, he turned up at Wha House Farm in Eskdale. He seemed to have made an interesting navigational error, having probably turned right at Three Tarns instead of left.
The team recieved a request to prepare to assist Police with the clearing of streets in Ambleside and surrounding area following the news that a man was heading in this direction shooting, apparently randomly, from a car. At this stage he was thought to have killed 12 people and injured many, many more.
