Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team was called by Cumbria Police at 13.20hrs Saturday 4th June reporting that a woman in her sixties had fallen whilst walking at Aira Force. 10 team members attended the scene where they found the lady sat on a bench.

On speaking to her they established that she had tripped on some tree roots and fallen, injuring her leg. She was examined and given pain relief as she was in considerable pain, placed onto a stretcher and carried back down to the main road where she was able to get into her colleague’s car and then travel to hospital to get checked over as it was suspected she has sustained a possible hamstring injury in the fall.

The rescue lasted just over 1.5 hours and was the second rescue the team has dealt with over the Bank holiday to that point.

At 15.30hrs on Friday 3rd June 2022 the Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team was contacted by North West Ambulance Service following a report that a woman in her twenties had fallen around 30 metres in Hartsop below Brock Crag area. The Duty leader made contact with the woman’s partner and established where they were.

As he was speaking to them he was informed the Great North Air Ambulance was flying around trying to locate the walkers. The team mobilised from Patterdale Base to the scene. On arrival the air ambulance was found to have landed in the valley bottom as there was nowhere to land close to the casualty. The casualty was examined and treated at the scene by the team’s doctor for facial and head injuries and lower back pain , she had also been unconscious for a short time.

Due to the nature of the fall – a significant distance down the hillside through a boulder field and trees – and the severity of the woman’s injuries a Coastguard Helicopter from Caernarfon was requested to assist. The Coastguard has winching capabilities and due to the location this was going to be the smoothest and quickest route of evacuation.

The woman was packaged in a vacuum mattress and stretcher and then winched onto the helicopter where she was then flown to a Major Trauma Centre at Preston. 19 Team members attended the incident which took 3 hours in total. They wish the woman a swift recovery. Thanks to GNAAS for their initial attendance and also to the Coastguard for their assistance.

On Sunday 30/05/22 Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team was called out to an incident where a woman had fallen, injuring her hip. The team located the casualty on the bank of the shallow Dovedale Beck behind Hartsop Hall. The casualty had been in the river building a dam with her grand children when she had slipped and fallen.

She had injured her hip in the process and was unable to walk. The team stabilised the hip injury and then transported the lady in the team Landrover to the Patterdale base where she was handed over to a land ambulance crew for onward travel to hospital. The rescue lasted 2.5 hrs and involved 12 team members.

The Team’s 2022 incident attendance register records this callout as “Twisted knee Patterdale Hotel”. It was recorded as a limited callout. No further public press-release wording survives in the archive.

On Saturday 21st May at 12.35hrs Cumbria Police contacted the Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team regarding a report of a man in his twenties who had tripped and heard a loud crack in his ankle whilst on Rest Dodd in Martindale. The team mobilised onto the hill, making their way to the scene from Hayswater by vehicle and then walking to the casualty site with the necessary kit for the injury.

Due to the timescale of reaching the casualty the Duty Leader liaised with the Great North Air Ambulance, who were on station at their Langwathby base, to see what their availability was. They offered to fly to the scene and see if they could assist. Whilst team members were en route the Air Ambulance was able to land near to the casualty and then, treat him and then fly him down to Patterdale Base from where the man was able to go for further treatment at hospital.

18 team members attended the incident which took just over 2 hours – thanks again to GNAAS for their assistance.

The Team’s 2022 incident attendance register records this callout as “Leg Injury on Red Screes”. It was recorded as a limited callout. No further public press-release wording survives in the archive.

At 12.45hrs Thursday 12th May Cumbria Police received reports that a male in his fifties had fallen 30ft from Striding Edge and sustained serious leg injuries . Patterdale Mountain rescue was called and the Team Leader initiated an immediate response.

Due to the location and seriousness of the injury, a Coastguard Rescue Helicopter was tasked with winching capabilities form Caernarfon, the Great North air Ambulance was also tasked with immediate medical care on board. Team members were deployed onto the fell and made their way onto Striding Edge and as they were approaching the Red Tarn area the Coastguard arrived was on scene and winched their paramedic down to the casualty site.

The aircraft landed at Red Tarn and flew four team members up onto the ridge with ropes and technical equipment to make the area safe. Due to the steep terrain and the location of the casualty a rope system was set up to haul the casualty back up onto the ridge where he was given medical treatment from the medical teams on scene.

Due to the nature of the injuries the casualty was stabilised and given pain relief before being winched onto the helicopter and flown to a major trauma hospital for further treatment. Team Leader Mike Ripon stated “this was a difficult and technical rescue due to the location and nature of the mans injuries, and our thanks go to the Coastguard and Helimed 58 for their quick response.”