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
Wast Water – Wed 4th Feb 2026
North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) alerted the Team Leader to two people in difficulty in Wast Water. NWAS, Cumbria Fire & Rescue, and Wasdale MRT (in case of boat deployment or difficult access) were urgently deployed. The ambulance crew arrived first and confirmed thankfully that both individuals had managed to reach the shore and exit the water. They assessed and treated both casualties. Wasdale MRT assisted by securing and moving the kayak involved to a safe location for later retrieval once the situation was stabilised.
Hardknott Pass – Fri 30th Jan 2026
Cumbria Police requested Wasdale MRT assistance after a vehicle struck a rock and slid off the road on the notorious bad bend on Hardknott Pass. The car contained four occupants. The Team Leader deployed a small party to assist and whilst en route, encountered a second vehicle that had also slid on ice. All occupants from both vehicles were assisted, checked for injuries, and then transported to safety.
Beck Head, Great Gable – Thu 29th Jan 2026
Cumbria Police received a report from two passing walkers who had found a walker with multiple injuries, including head and arm trauma, near to Beck Head on Great Gable. The Team Leader made a full callout immediately alongside Rescue 936 Coastguard helicopter from Caernarfon. Despite several attempts, R936 was unable to complete a winch onto scene due to the weather conditions. Once the MR advance party arrived on scene, the walker’s multiple injuries were assessed and treated from a now obvious very serious fall. He was then packaged in a heat blankets and a vapour barrier (to minimise further heat…
Kirkby-in-Furness – Wed 28th Jan 2026
Wasdale MRT were requested by Duddon & Furness MRT in the early hours yesterday morning to assist in an urgent search for a missing young person. Eight WMRT personnel deployed, including a drone operator to support thermal searching of key areas. Many other Lake District teams were also involved in the wider search effort. The missing person was found safe and well after being sighted by a member of the public, and all teams were stood down. A good outcome and a fantastic demonstration of the combined capability of the search and rescue voluntary community coming together at short notice.
Ill Crag – Sat 10th Jan 2026
A call was received yesterday about a walker with an ankle injury near Ill Crag. He was unable to bear weight and continue. The Team Leader quickly made a Full Callout to respond. Due to the remoteness of the casualty location, an air asset was requested but was unable to perform the rescue directly due to the cloud base. As a second best option, team members were uplifted to Lingmell Col and, with assistance from a nearby RAF team on training nearby, packaged and stretchered the walker off the hill to Wasdale Head, where members of his walking party transported…
Cold Fell – Sat 10th Jan 2026
The team was called early in the morning by Cumbria Police about someone who had separated from his companions while wild camping and could not be contacted. The Team Leader made a full team callout to initiate a search and quickly located the camper asleep on a forestry track. He was recovered by team members and handed over to Cumbria Police on scene.