Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team has been assisting people in the western fells of the Lake District for over 50 years. We cover England’s highest mountain, Scafell Pike, and respond to over one hundred calls for help each year. The team consists of approximately forty ‘professional volunteers’ who give their time to help those in need, whatever the weather, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. For more information please read our about page. We rely on generous donations from the public to fund the team. Once a year, we recruit a new intake of probationary members.
Recent Rescues
Great Hall Gill – Sun 20th Sep 2026
Cumbria Police received a call about a male who had taken a fall of around 5m into Great Hall Gill. He had managed to get out of the water, but was not able to walk out. After a short search to locate the casualty, team members got on scene to assess him while a rope rescue team assessed the options for extrication. Coastguard R897 was called to provide a direct winch option, with rope rescue held as a backup, as the rope system was particularly challenging given limited anchor points. The casualty and his partner were airlifted onward to hospital.
Hollowstones, Scafell Pike – Sat 19th Sep 2026
Cumbria Police received a call from a group of four doing the Three Peaks, one of whom had an injured knee. The team leader managed to speak with them and supported them to self rescue, monitoring their progress by phone as they made their way down. They all made it down safely.
Little Narrowcove, Scafell Pike – Sat 19th Sep 2026
Cumbria Police received a call about three males who were lost and stuck. Police managed to get their location as Little Narrowcove. The assistant team leader spoke with them, and they were uncomfortable moving from their location. The team deployed and collected them, walking them back down to Wasdale Head, where they waited for a family member to pick them up. The team then returned to base to reset.
Gavel Neese, Great Gable – Sat 19th Sep 2026
Cumbria Police received a call about a female with an injured ankle. The assistant team leader attempted to make contact but was struggling; contact was eventually made with the informants, though they were at a different location. A location was eventually obtained, not far from Burnthwaite Farm. The casualty was assessed and found to have a badly broken ankle; pain relief was given and the ankle reduced and re-aligned, then placed in a vacuum splint. She was stretchered a short distance to the ambulance.
Skew Gill, Great End – Thu 17th Sep 2026
Cumbria Police received a call via iPhone Emergency SOS reporting that two walkers had come across a 77-year-old male and his grandson, who were very cold. The team was unable to make contact with the casualty site due to the location, so the team deployed, along with Maritime and Coastguard Agency R897. Due to the weather, R897 was unable to get on location. The team arrived, assessed and warmed up both casualties, and found the 77-year-old also had a wrist and knee injury; an urgent evacuation of the hill was commenced. The two walkers who had come across them had…
Middleboot Knotts, Scafell Pike – Sat 12th Sep 2026
Cumbria Police received a call from a lone female who was lost and had become split from her friend. Contact was made, and she had already found her friend and was descending back to the car park. The team was not deployed.