News

Access continues to be difficult to some areas, with floodwater still present and extensive damage to many road surfaces and edges. The cleanup will take some considerable time.

The Ambulance Service will be resident in our base for some time, while their own station is dried out and repaired.

The rainfall has been described as 'one in a millennium' event, which, given it's only 4 years since we suffered a 'one in 100 years' event is a bit of a worry! It would have helped considerably if people took notice of 'road closed' signs and didn't continue to drive into deep water without thinking through the consequences! Even the flashest four wheel drive is still a car, not a boat. Boats tend to be pointy at the front, are waterproof underneath, and don't have doors that open below the waterline.

Vehicle Officer, Nick Wright receives the key for our new ambulance, known affectionately as Mobile 3 from Colin Todd of Crake International.

They converted the vehicle from a Landrover supplied by Lakeland Landrover.

Team members join Eddie Izzard on his 18th marathon (of 43) and run up Kirkstone Pass from Windermere.

Six miles uphill in the rain. We get a ride down from the top, Eddie runs on to spend the night in Patterdale.

It's all in aid of Comic Relief, so isn't as mad as it sounds.

Two years of hard work by dog and handler has resulted in them qualifying as a search dog team!

The reward.....many more years of hard work! Long walks in the dark over Crinkle Crags in all weather, more training..you get the message!

An electric fence was installed to 'heaf' the new stock of sheep into the Duddon Valley following on from Foot and Mouth disease. This runs from Three Shires Stone, to Cold Pike and then on to Crinkle Crags. It then runs down over Adam-a-Cove, Black Crag and the down to Hardknott Summit. There is also a spur that runs up from Gaitsgill up one side of Little Stand, round and down again.

This is generating a magnetic field which affects compasses in a seemingly random way, making them unreliable in an area already notorious for people becoming lost.

In good weather this is unlikely to cause a problem, but in poor visibility or darkness people may be within range of the effect without realising. The effect is noticed within about 30m of the fence.

There appears to be no immediate solution, and the fence is going to be in place until approximately 2007

Update.....31st January....The fence is in the process of being removed. It is still present in some places, but not continuous. It is not electrified, so shouldn't effect compasses. During its life it has been an effective 'handrail' and now probably shouldn't be relied upon. May the fun continue!!

Prolonged winter conditions experienced so far this year have been rare in recent years, however the message is the same as always.

Be prepared. Experience, appropriate equipment, and sound judgement are crucial. Ice axe, crampons, warm clothing and reliable torches are vital in current conditions.

Remember as well, soft snow is exhausting to walk in, frozen snow is very slippery.

Today we took delivery of our two new Landrover 1st Response Ambulances.

The purchase of one of these was funded entirely by a very generous donation from Mrs. Mavis Mellor, in memory of her husband Frank E. Mellor.

The vehicle has been named in his honour... Mavis visited us for the day with her friend Marjory, joining us for a tour of our base, lunch and the trip to Lakeland Landrover at Torver to collect the new vehicles.