Volunteers of Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team were called by Cumbria police to reports of a gentleman who had sustained an ankle injury. The man was located close to the Hole in the Wall, just before reaching Striding Edge. After attempts failed to reach the informant by mobile phone to ascertain medical updates so it was decided to call a Coastguard aircraft along with Penrith MRT.

Due to a rapid response from the Coastguard the man was treated on scene by their paramedic just as team members arrived. After treatment the patient was flown down to Patterdale playing fields from where, along with his companion, he made his was to hospital for a further check up. Thanks go the Coastguard and Penrith MRT for assistance.

On Tuesday 13th September at 17.00hrs the Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team was called by Cumbria Police to assist a woman who had fallen near Lanty’s Tarn, Glenridding and sustained an ankle Injury. The Team responded and, fortunately, was able to drive a Landrover very close to the scene.

On arrival the lady, who was on holiday with her husband from Holland, was treated for a suspected fractured ankle, she was given pain relief and her ankle was splinted before she was placed on a stretcher and carried back to the Landrover. Once back at the Rescue Base the casualty was transferred to a North West Ambulance Service vehicle and taken to hospital for further treatment.

13 team members were involved in the rescue which took 2.5 hours. The Team wishes the casualty a swift recovery and hopes the couple can enjoy the rest of their holiday.

On Saturday 10/09/22 at 13:30 hrs the Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team was called with regard to a female who had slipped and injured her ankle, unable to continue. The walker had been walking on Brock crags with her dog and was heading for Rest Dodd when she slipped and injured her ankle.

Passersby requested mountain rescue on her behalf and stayed with her and the dog until the team was on scene. The casualty was given pain relief and her ankle was stabilised with a vacuum splint. She was then evacuated down the fell to the team Landrover. The rescue lasted 3.5 hrs and involved 10 Patterdale and 4 Penrith team members.

We would like to thank our neighbouring team Penrith for assisting in this rescue.

On Monday 05/09/22 at around 18:30 the Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team was called out with regard to a walker who had fallen over and had a laceration to his head. The walker and his partner had been descending into the valley after walking Helvellyn via the ridges.

They were coming down into Grisedale via the Hole in the wall path when the man tripped and hit his head on rocks. The walker sustained a deep laceration. The team’s fittest doctor was first at the scene and fully assessed and bandaged the casualty’s wound. Fortunately he had remained conscious throughout and had not fractured anything.

The casualty was evacuated via strecher to a team landrover and was later taken to hospital by his partner. The rescue involved 16 team members and lasted 3.5 hours.

On Saturday 06/08/2022, the Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team received a call out regarding a walker who had injured her ankle whilst descending Rest Dodd. The casualty and her companions had set off early that day from Hartsop for a walk around Brock Crags and surrounding peaks.

The casualty had slipped on a grassy track and injured her ankle, after which she was unable to walk and carry on. 10 team member responded and went up from Hayeswater. The team doctor stabilised the injury with a splint and the woman was then evacuated from the fell on a stretcher to the team landrover at the Hayeswater outflow.

The rescue lasted 3 hours.

On Monday the 1st of August 2022 the Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team was called out after a walker had fallen on Striding Edge. The lady had been walking with her partner on Striding Edge heading for the Helvellyn summit. Whilst negotiating the “bad step” the woman lost her footing and fell around 10 metres down the rocky chute, sustaining serious injuries.

In addition to the Patterdale team, the Great North Air Ambulance (GNAAS) and Rescue 199 coastguard helicopters responded. The GNAAS helicopter landed on the Helvellyn summit and their medics arrived first on scene to treat the casualty’s injuries. Rescue 199 landed at Red Tarn and flew Patterdale members to near the scene.

Once the casualty had been treated and stabilised by the medics she was transferred to a stretcher and then winched off the mountain by Rescue 199. She was then flown to the RVI in Newcastle for further treatment. The team would like to thank GNAAS and the Coastguard for some great team work which made this another efficient rescue.

We also wish our casualty a rapid recovery and hope to see her walking in the Lakes again very soon. The rescue involved 13 Patterdale Team members and lasted 4 hours.

At 13.45 hrs on Saturday 16th July Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team was called by Cumbria Police to assist an elderly lady who had slipped whilst traversing Striding Edge and taken a fall. The Leader on call initiated the response by the team and due to her injuries, the location and the hot weather requested a Coastguard SAR helicopter to assist.

Team members ascended on foot to Striding Edge whilst the helicopter from Prestwick arrived on scene. The lady was treated at the scene for shoulder and arm injuries including a fractured wrist. She was winched into the helicopter and flown to Hospital for further treatment. The team would like to thank the coastguard for their assistance, this saved a long and very hot evacuation as the weather was extremely hot.

The rescue took just over 3 hours and involved 12 team members.

At 13:20 on Monday 4th July 2022, Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team received a call from the Cumbria Police to assist a 67 year old woman from Reading who had slipped whilst out walking near Aira Force with her husband. 12 team members responded to the callout.

The woman’s injured ankle was assessed and splinted and she was stretchered back to her car, from where her husband drove her to Penrith Minor Injuries Unit. The callout lasted about 2 hours.

On Sunday 12th June at 16.20hrs whilst members of the Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team were out on another rescue on Striding Edge the team was made aware, by Cumbria Police, of a woman who had fallen from a path and ended up in the water down a steep ravine in Aira Force.

Five team members who were able to respond to this incident attended with one team Landrover with rescue equipment. A request was made to Penrith Mountain Rescue to assist and they responded with 12 team members. The flady was extricated from the river using a rope system and hauled onto the river bank where she was treated as she was cold and wet.

Fortunately, she had not suffered any injuries, despite a fall of considerable distance into the river. The rescue lasted 2 hours, after which team members returned to Patterdale Base to sort all the wet kit from both jobs, making it a long afternoon. Thanks to Penrith Mountain Rescue for their attendance in this rescue.

On Sunday 12th June at 12.50hrs Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team was called by Cumbria Police to a report of a man in his fifties who had fallen on Striding Edge, sustaining head and leg injuries. The Duty Leader attempted to make contact with the casualty’s wife who was the informant but due to lack of phone signal this was not possible.

Due to the location and reported injuries a Coastguard Helicopter with winching capabilities was requested to assist in the rescue. On arrival the helicopter attempted to winch a paramedic to the scene but was unable to due to the wind conditions. Team members who had ascended on foot from Greenside were then flown from Red Tarn outlet onto Helvellyn Summit.

They were then able to make their way quickly on foot down onto Striding Edge. Once at the casualty site it was established he had fallen around 5 metres and was quickly assessed and treated for his injuries, he was then placed into a casualty bag and vacuum mattress, and then placed onto the stretcher. Team members then carried the stretcher up onto the ridge and then lowered him down from Striding Edge around 150 metres involving a technical rope system.

The weather was heavy rain and low cloud by this time but, fortunately, once they had descended into the back of Red Tarn at the base of Helvellyn, the coastguard helicopter, with some excellent flying, managed to winch the casualty on board and he was transported to hospital at Carlisle for further treatment. The rescue was attended by 15 team members taking around 4.5 hours in total.