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
St Bees Head – Tue 17th Sep 2024
A call was received on Tuesday evening from Cumbria Police. They were requesting support for a developing multi-agency search for a missing person. However, as team members were assembling, positive news was received that the person had been located and the team was stood down.
Scafell – Sat 14th Sep 2024
A call was received from Cumbria Police about a lone walker who was overdue from a walk up Sca Fell. The walker was inexperienced and not well equipped should things not go to plan. Friends were concerned for his safety as they had received a call saying he was lost at high elevation, and then not returned a few hours later. With weather conditions already challenging and forecasted to worsen, and with no contact able to be made, the Team Leader considered the search to be urgent and engaged several other teams as well as search dogs to enable a…
Upper Eskdale – Sun 8th Sep 2024
A call was received from Cumbria Police about two walkers who were attempting to return to Langdale and had misnavigated in Upper Eskdale. As they had started very early they had not taken head torches, preventing them from safely moving further. Their location was determined from the coordinates of the police call. The team was mobilized and a small party walked to their location. After some re-warming, they were walked out to the team vehicles and then taken to a nearby car park to pick up a taxi back to Langdale. #BeAdventureSmart and make a good day better. Ask yourself three…
Scafell Pike Summit, Scafell Pike – Sat 7th Sep 2024
Canine paw injury Pike summit
Brown Tongue, Scafell Pike – Sat 7th Sep 2024
The team was called on Saturday about a walker who had fallen and injured their ankle. She was unable to walk any further. The team was swiftly called out and once on scene performed a medical assessment, gave further strong pain relief, and splinted the ankle. This enabled the walker to be made comfortable for the relatively routine stretcher carry to Brackenclose when she was transferred to their vehicle for subsequent transfer to the hospital. We hope the walker’s injuries heal quickly and she is back on the fells soon.
Mickledore, Scafell Pike – Mon 2nd Sep 2024
The team was called by Cumbria Police about a walker who had become separated from his walking partner, and was now lost and exhausted. Phonefind but him on the wrong side of Mickledore for his intended descent to Wasdale. As such, a Limited Callout was made to assist. The Team Leader was also able to direct the walker back towards the stretcher box over the phone and was then able to contact his walking partner. The pair were then able to find each other in the mist and located the stretcher box. Now at a known location they were able…