- Incident
- 33 in 2001
- Type
- Full Callout — Overdue
- Location
- Upper Eskdale
- Other Agencies
- Keswick MRT, Lake District Mountain Rescue Search Dogs, Langdale Ambleside MRT
The Wasdale Team Leader received call from the Team Leader, Langdale/Ambleside rescue team whilst at the Mill Forge rescue headquarters for a committee meeting. They and Keswick MRT were responding to a report that a 32yr old single male walker was long overdue on a route that would have taken him over Bow Fell, Esk Pike, all of the Scafell Pike range, Great Gable and Esk Hause/Angle Tarn etc. A total of around 60 MRT personnel (L&A MRT, Keswick, Wasdale and Dog Handlers) responded. Twenty-six Wasdale MRT members (plus three on Base) carried out searches over the Scafell range, while Langdale and Keswick concentrated on other areas. Although conditions were not good, with very strong gale force winds and visibility limited to a few yards, the Wasdale team managed to conduct searches of the main paths. A number of team members bivied on the summit of Scafell Pike, in order to be strategically placed to continue at first light.
The missing person was found at 0830 hrs on 30th October, near the bottom of Little Narrow Cove, in the Great Moss area of Upper Eskdale. He had sheltered during the night and was in good condition, although he didn’t know where he was. We understand his compass had been blown away on the previous day and that he had made a navigational error somewhere around Esk Hause. He was embarrassed to have had so many people looking for him but was pleased to escorted off the fells to Taw House Farm, Eskdale. From there, one of Langdale Team gave him a lift back over the passes to Langdale and we returned to base.Mill Forge Base was closed at 1115 hrs. and following a quick shower team members went to work (somewhat weary).
Incident started at 20:50 and ended at 11:15 making 14.4 hrs in total. There were 26 Wasdale team members involved. Total rescuer hours: 374
