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
Upper Eskdale – Sat 5th Jul 2025
A call was received via Langdale Ambleside MRT, about a fell runner in an organised race showing the symptoms of hypothermia, appearing confused and stumbling. Other fell runners were assisting her to the next checkpoint. The Team Leader requested support from Duddon and Furness MRT due to slightly low numbers, and as they would likely be able to access the fell runner more quickly from their base. They responded quickly. The race paramedics also responded and were first to meet the descending party in Moasdale, close to Cockley Beck. Duddon and Furness MRT were on scene shortly afterwards, by which…
Langdale – Fri 4th Jul 2025
A call was received from Cumbria Police after a concerned family member reported a party of three that had not been heard from for 24 hours after leaving Wasdale for Langdale. Mobile signals are patchy to non-existent in certain areas of the high fells and valleys. However, after further investigation, the Team Leader contacted Langdale Ambleside MRT in case a search became necessary. Happily, after some time contact was made with the group having completed their route successfully, and both teams stood down.
Corridor Route, Scafell Pike – Tue 1st Jul 2025
A call was received from Cumbria Police; two dogs had become exhausted and were ‘staying put’ after a long day out ascending Scafell Pike the long way around from Wrynose Pass. The call had initially gone to Penrith MRT in error but then re-routed quickly. The group of three walkers were now getting cold in misty and wet conditions. In an awkward location, a full team callout was made, with the distinct possibility of a long night ahead. However, it was a very nice surprise to find one of the walkers and the two dogs at Gavel Neese very early…
Pen, Scafell Pike – Sun 29th Jun 2025
A call was received from a walker who had become separated from the two other people in his group from a walk to Scafell Pike summit. He was walking faster than the others and had then descended into the wrong valley and was now in the Wasdale Head Inn. However, he could not make contact with the others in his group. Their intended destination was Seathwaite in Borrowdale. The Team Leader concluded that there was no reason to deploy, with the informant safe and well in the wrong valley, and most likely the others were temporarily without a mobile phone…
Piers Gill, Scafell Pike – Sat 28th Jun 2025
As incident No.75 was ongoing, a further call was received from Cumbria Police, this time via the iPhone satellite emergency call. Two walkers descending Scafell Pike had got lost in poor conditions, were wet and cold and were concerned for their safety. The coordinates received put them in a hazardous location between Lingmell crags and Piers Gill; further descent in any direction from here is dangerous. After a period without clear communications, a mobile phone conversation was possible, after which the walkers were asked to remain in their position and await team members to arrive. Some team members were diverted…
Wrynose Pass – Sat 28th Jun 2025
A call for support was received from Coniston MRT when a walker had become separated from his group and could not be contacted. It was quite possible that he was in Wasdale MRT’s area, although the destination was at Wrynose Pass. However, it was resolved with a good outcome when he met other walkers and was accompanied back to Hardknott Pass via Upper Eskdale.