A group of walkers came across a man who had slipped and sustained a suspected lower leg fracture. He couldn't have got much further up! They stayed with him until we arrived. A helicopter was requested to assist
A woman slipped on a very wet path and sustained an ankle injury. She was treated with pain relief and a splint and evacuated to the valley for onward transport to hospital.
While the previous rescue was ongoing we were made aware of a group of 9 with one torch and 8 glow-sticks(!) had gone to ground on steep ground in the vicinity of Esk Hause. A small group was detached from rescue 106 to do a check at Esk Hause and Esk Pike. They weren't found on this preliminary search so a larger search was organised involving Keswick MRT and SARDA, and they still weren't located. Over the course of the night more information was gathered and they were eventually located at Ore Gap, having descended from the Bowfell area at 11am.
A female participant from a large walking party slipped and sustained a lower leg fracture on the path from Esk Hause above Angle Tarn. She was located and treated, then stretchered off. The descent of Rossett Ghyll with a stretcher is a difficult and strenuous one, and the drive out of Mickleden is very rough. Unfortunately our casualty didn't take the rough ride in very good grace and was rude and grumpy. We'll put that down to the circumstances and won't hold it against her. Her companions were very nice.
A 76-year-old solo walker became cragfast when he strayed from the path while climbing Harrison Stickle. His detour took him onto an area of vertical rock and dripping gullies. After a bit of hunting around he was located, and with some considerable technical difficulty, evacuated to safe ground, from where he was accompanied to the valley floor. He was given a lift back to his accommodation, the delay having caused him to miss the last bus! We were also complicit in a lie, to stop this gentleman being grounded by his Granddaughter. If anyone asks, we've never met!
Having dealt with the previous debacle we were called upon again with a report of a woman and 11-year-old boy overdue from a walk from Crinkle Crags. They were located during initial checks of the valley bottom, having made a navigational error, and coming down in the wrong place. They had been delayed by this, but were located en-route back to Ambleside.
In what must rate as one of the most ridiculous situations we have found ourselves on for quite some time, we found ourselves hunting down various members of a group who were incapable of organising themselves and taking responsibility for their actions. Initially a group of four were delayed when one of them had a minor fall, subsequently causing darkness to become a problem. One of them reported themselves on 'the path from the tarn to Chapel Stile'.
A party of 10 split at Great Knott, with the faster 5 continuing part of their intended route Crinkle Crags and coming down The Band. The slower group were reported overdue at 18:30, after it became obvious that they hadn't returned to their parked car. The group was of mixed age, youngest 11-years old and the oldest 69-years-old. A search was organised, with assistance from Wasdale MRT, Duddon & Furness MRT and SARDA. During the planning stage, another phone call was received via the police, reporting two people sheltering in a tent in Lingcove Beck.
A party of three males, including a 13-year-old boy became benighted when they ran out of daylight, having earlier made a navigational error that had taken them into Upper Esk area. They were clearly not going to get any further in darkness without torches so we went and got them. We were accompanied by team Search Dogs Kitt and Beinn, with Kitt arriving at our casualties first, thereby claiming her first 'locate'. The group were escorted to the valley floor and reunited with their car.
Shouts for help were reported in the region of Raven Crag. An investigation revealed hounds and followers making their way across the top of the crag. At the time they were initially heard they were out of sight beyond the skyline. False alarm with good intent.
A female was reported with an ankle injury on Blea Rigg near Stickle Tarn. The team attended and the woman was evacuated
A couple phoned for help after losing their way on Long Top. They were given directions but were unable to contact us further to confirm if they had found their way down. A check was made for their car, to see if they'd left the valley. We were unable to find it, so came to the vague conclusion that they had made their way off, and for some reason were unable to contact us. We were contacted the following morning to say that they'd camped in the valley, and hadn't received the message until they left.
A male with as suspected dislocated shoulder was reported on Pavey Arc. The air ambulance was en-route and we were requested to attend in case they couldn't access the casualty. As it transpired, they were able to complete the evacuation, so we joined the audience at the Langdale Folk Festival, which was raising money for the Fix the Fells project, and SARDA Lakes.
A group of 4 were reported overdue from a scrambling trip. They turned up while initial enquiries were being made.
Man reported 4 hours overdue. We phoned him. He was OK. No further action was taken.
A couple became 'bracken-fast' while trying to descend from Loft Crag, straying into the Gimmer Crag area. They were located by team members and escorted to safety.
Requested to assist ambulance service with the evacuation of an injured female from a difficult location.
A man descending from a days climbing slipped and sustained a lower leg injury. He was treated by the team and then evacuated down very steep, nasty ground to the valley bottom.
Requested to assist ambulance in recovery of casualty with arm fracture.
A family group of 5 ground to a halt, struggling with one torch, a dodgy knee, fatigue and cold, after a navigational error caused them a significant delay, on an already long day. They phoned for help, were located by team member, and assisted from the fell. All in bed by 4am.
Male, overdue phoning in with his wife. Located in campsite without phone signal.
A solo male phoned for help after becoming cragfast, after a passing shower rendered the rock he was climbing very slippery. The team were en-route when we were informed that he had been assisted off the crag by two passing scramblers. \"Unsuitable\"" footwear (his words) will have played a significant part in this incident. "
A 25-year-old female sustained a lower leg injury when she slipped on steep loose ground. Her injury was splinted and she was evacuated by stretcher to the valley floor.
A 14-year-old female on an activity holiday suffered a serious and prolonged asthma attack. She was treated initially by her instructors, then by the team, before being evacuated to hospital by helicopter from RAF Valley. Did we get wet...of course we did!
While we were dealing with incident 72 this happened. Another woman sustained a lower leg injury at Angle Tarn. This incident was dealt with initially by team members diverted from incident 72, backed up by team members from Kendal MRT. A long, hot, sweaty day was had by all, ended with a healthy crop of midge bites. All in a days work.
A woman sustained a lower leg injury when she slipped at the top of Dungeon Ghyll. While our initial response was under way we were made aware of incident 73. Our resources were split and we continued with this rescue, splinting the injury and stretchering her down, assisted by Kendal MRT.
Four young women had spent the night in a tent up near Sprinkling Tarn. When trying to find their way down in the morning they became lost. In conjunction with Keswick and Wasdale MRTs we searched for them. They were located by Keswick MRT and escorted to the valley.
A couple phoned for help when one of them sustained a knee injury and the became lost while trying to return from Scafell to Langdale. Only minimum information was received before contact was lost. After some discussion it was decided that a search should be organised. Along with Wasdale MRT and SARDA a search was planned. Further contact with the two meant that we could determine their position more accurately, and it was decided that they were descending to Wasdale via Styhead Tarn, at which point we went home and left Wasdale MRT to tidy up loose ends.
A family group became separated, with one party becoming lost. Their phone call came to us via the Isle of Man, enjoying a brief holiday en-route. Contact was made with the group and it was established that they had reunited and were now confident that they could find their way down. The Bad Step diversion strikes again!?
A man fell into the gorge below Wrynose Bridge while attempting to take a photo. He was extracted by the team and airlifted to hospital by air ambulance, with leg injuries. Rumours of a beautiful photo of the sky are yet to be confirmed.
