Fellwalking

A 59-year-old man suffered a suspected heart problem, with chest pains and nausea reported. The team was dispatched immediately, along with a request for a helicopter to attend. There was a little confusion as to the location, with it given as Hanging Knotts, but the grid reference given put it on the north summit of Bowfell. The latter was correct. The helicopter arrived on scene first, and airlifted the man to hospital, while team members located the rest of the party, and walked back down with them.

A pair of walkers reported themselves in difficulty as mist descended. They thought they were between Harrison Stickle and Pike O'Stickle. With darkness approaching it was decided that a quick daylight search was the order of the day. The were located (in the dark) between Thunacar Knott and High Raise (!) and escorted to the valley floor.

During the preliminary checks on the previous incident, a police officer spotted some lights on Blake Rigg which appeared to be people struggling to find a way over difficult terrain. Additional team members were sent to investigate, but it became clear that there was probably nothing wrong when all the lights suddenly moved uphill en-mass. Probably trainees on a night navigation exercise.

A man was reported as overdue from his walk on Crinkle Crags by his wife. Enquires were made and while a small team were making some preliminary checks of the road and parking places, a phone call was received from the man saying he was OK, but it was unclear due to poor reception where he was. A second call was later received from Brotherilkeld, Eskdale, to say he was safe and well. The search was called off and he was returned to his car.

A pair of walkers were forced to stop when the torch they proved insufficient to light their way. They were located by team members and escorted from the fell.

A pair of walkers were forced to stop when the torch they had failed and left them unable to find their way in darkness. They were located and escorted down by a couple of team members.

A 64-year-old male slipped on very wet ground and sustained a reoccurrence of an old knee injury. He was treated by team members and stretchered to the valley floor, from where his companions took him to hospital in their own transport.

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.

We were requested to attend a woman with an ankle injury near Easedale Tarn. As we arrived at the bottom of the hill, we were informed that we had been overtaken by the Air Ambulance and the woman was on her way to hospital.

A group of three were reported overdue at Grasmere on the Coast to Coast walk. We were requested to assist Keswick MRT, along with SARDA, to search for them. They were located by Keswick MRT at Flour Ghyll, near Greenup Edge, unhurt, and escort from the fell

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.

A woman slipped and sustained a very painful arm fracture. She was administered pain relief and evacuated from the fell.

A female was reported with an ankle injury on Blea Rigg near Stickle Tarn. The team attended and the woman was evacuated

A woman was reported overdue when she failed to return home at the expected time. There was concern for her welfare, so a search was organised. SARDA were called as well, and she was located around midnight, by a dog handler, with a minor leg injury. She was returned home.

Assist with search for people missing in Scafell area. Turned up during initial stages. Wasdale, Keswick and Duddon & Furness MRTs also involved.

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 female was reported with a leg injury near the summit of Calf Crag. The team set off but while en-route we were informed that she had been recovered by the air ambulance.

Man reported as confused and in unspecified difficulty. Enquiries revealed that incident was in Howgill Fells, and was being dealt with by air ambulance and another MRT.

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 woman suffered a fracture/dislocation of her ankle in a slip. She was treated by team members, then evacuated by air ambulance.