Keswick Mountain Rescue Group had a hectic 24 hr with 3 callouts. At around 2.25 pm yesterday, April 13, the group was called to Maiden Moor after a 64-year-old male was discovered lying near the path to Bull Crag. The walker who found him called the authorities, who signalled mountain rescue.
The team said: “He had apparently been lying there for a long time. The male was improperly dressed for the conditions and was extremely cold. The informant had the ability to put more clothes on the guy prior to assisting him into a survival bag. To avoid additional heat loss and motivate rewarming the informant was asked to climb into the survival bag too which he selflessly did.”
The Great North Air Ambulance was called out, due to the potentially serious nature of the incident.
The team included: “Whilst the group were making their way up from Hause Gate, Helimed 58 was able to land close to the casualty in challenging flying conditions, do a fast pick up before flying back down to the valley to meet a group physician who was able to do an assessment. The gentleman was then moved to Keswick medical facility for further evaluation.
Around 3 hours previously, at 11.25 am, the team was contacted to help out at Sharp Edge.
Two females were attempting to climb it and reached the bad step but were unable to either continue or pull back due to the snowy conditions. A passer-by offered assistance but slipped and fell a brief distance.
Keswick Mountain Rescue Group stated: “Thankfully, he harmed only his pride. They chose to stay where they were and await mountain rescue. We participated in the scene, rigged a safety line along the ridge for the casualties and equipped them with harnesses and helmets. They were helped along the ridge and then descended to the Chicken Course. Both casualties were then walked back down to Mousethwaite Comb.”
Today, just after midnight, the group performed a search when a senior couple strolling the Coast to Coast failed to turn up at their lodging at Seathwaite.
Searches in coffee shops and restaurants and a trip to Honister did not discover them, but the gentleman ultimately walked to Seathwaite Farm campground and reported that his 80-year-old other half was stuck on a fell, near a waterfall, with a cramp.
“The group quickly located the casualty, she had taken a fall triggering a fracture to her elbow as well as sustaining a shoulder injury, and she was really cold.”
A Coastguard helicopter was requested to attend; they offered a winch evacuation before airlifting the casualty to Glasgow major injury centre.
A former British Military Officer, Eddie went on to study History and then Journalism at Sheffield Hallam University. A keen outdoorsman, he has co-written several books on Outdoor Survival and Wild Camping. Now living in Penrith, Ed is a keen fellrunner.
