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.

The Team’s 2022 incident attendance register records this callout as “Wrist injury at base”. It was recorded as a limited callout. No further public press-release wording survives in the archive.

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.”