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
Eskdale – Sat 27th Nov 2021
A call was received by the police about a group of 10 who had reportedly gone up Scafell or Scafell Pike and not been heard of after 13.00 hours. The original larger group had got split up the evening before, some ending up at Ambleside MRT base because of the adverse weather, and they had become concerned about their friends. The Team Leader established that the group of 10 were safe at Eskdale YHA. Because of the storm, there was no electricity or wi-fi and the groups were unable to contact each other.
Cumbria – Fri 26th Nov 2021
Cumbria police declared a major incident. All the lake district mountain rescue teams were on alert, some teams have had multiple callouts in a short space of time. Had they been struggling for resources, the other teams would have stepped in to help. The “silver” alert is ongoing as the area is now receiving a significant amount of snowfall.
Great Gable – Fri 26th Nov 2021
A walker sustained an ankle injury on the summit of Great Gable. Due to the risk of team members being injured because of the high winds, a coastguard helicopter was requested. We are very thankful that they attended, and took the casualty to hospital. Our team members did not need to go on the high fell and returned intact! The 2 friends of the casualty were taken to Borrowdale by helicopter and met by a Keswick team member, thankyou.
Great Gable – Mon 22nd Nov 2021
This afternoon two walkers found themselves in difficult terrain having lost the descent path from Great Gable summit down to Beck Head. The Cockermouth Team Leader was initially tasked and after speaking to the lost persons managed to encourage them to self rescue by directing them back to path. The task was then passed over to the Wasdale Team Leader who further encouraged and monitored the descent back into the Wasdale valley. Two team members were deployed with spare lights to intercept them on the way down if they were unable to proceed safely due to the fading light as…
Dropping Crag, Scafell Pike – Sun 21st Nov 2021
Two hill walkers came into difficulty on technical ground having accidentally lost the path whilst ascending Scafell Pike via Broad Crag Col. An attempt was made to encourage the pair to move back to safer ground under their own steam. However, due to the decreasing temperature with the fading light a small team was deployed to the location. The two casualties were then warmed and fuelled before being escorted to safer easier ground and then back to the valley bottom. The air temperature on the hill tonight was at minus 1 with the wind chill dropping it to minus 9.…
Upper Eskdale – Sat 20th Nov 2021
A party of hill walkers in a remote area of Upper Eskdale reported that a member of their party was unable to proceed due to pain in both knees. Due to the initial availability being low and the possibility of being a protracted and difficult stretcher carry from the most remote part of WMRT’s area of responsibility, both HM Coastguard and DFMRT support was requested. HM Coastguard Rescue 199 was immediately deployed from Prestwick and were able to be on scene within 40 minutes. The casualty party of three were then transferred to WMRT base allowing team members to return…