Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team Marks 100th Call-Out of the Year with Christmas Day Rescue
Whilst most families were settling down for their evening at home at 17:45 on December 25th, Cumbria Police alerted Penrith MRT to a broken emergency call from a walker in distress. With limited information they realised the call was possibly in our area and passed the incident over to Patterdale to the Duty Leader.
 After numerous attempts to speak to the informant and with growing concern for a family member at high altitude, the Duty Leader called the full team out requesting additional support from Penrith Mountain Rescue Team to prepare for a potentially long technical evacuation.
Whilst the Team were making their way to Patterdale Base the Police had received further calls enabling the location to be around the Dove Crag area in Hartsop as first thought and that a female was unwell and unable to walk off the hill with her family member safely.
As 19 volunteers from both teams ascended toward the summit of Dove Crag, the reporting walker—having descended to the valley to ensure the alarm was raised—was able to provide a clear location and medical details.
The casualty was located on the fell, where they had been carefully wrapped in sleeping bags and a bivi bag by their companion to keep them warm from the bitter cold conditions at scene. After receiving immediate medical treatment, the casualty was stabilised and assisted off the hill by the combined teams. The casualty was conveyed to Patterdale Base to be reunited with the family member and after being assessed again by the Team Doctor they were allowed to return to their home address .
The Rescue  lasted 5 hours and 30 minutes, involving 9 members from Patterdale MRT and 10 from Penrith MRT and our thanks again to them for their valuable assistance.

A Milestone of Service This mission marked the 100th time this year that Patterdale’s volunteers have left their jobs, beds, or families to assist those in need.

“Reaching 100 rescues for the second year running is a significant milestone,” said a spokesperson for Patterdale MRT. “It is particularly resonant that this occurred on Christmas Day. It highlights the unwavering commitment of our members who, like all Mountain Rescue volunteers, provide this professional service entirely for free, regardless of the day or hour.

The team would like to remind the public that even on holidays, help is always available, but being prepared with emergency shelter and extra calories can be life-saving.

On Sunday 7th December at 13:00hrs the Team were contacted by Langdale/Ambleside Mountain Rescue after they had received a call for assistance from North West Ambulance.  A male had been reported to have fallen around 40 Metres down scree and rocks whilst descending from Dove Crag in the Hartsop Valley and as it was in Patterdales area passed it quickly over to ourselves to deal. The Duty Leader spoke to the reporting person to ascertain the circumstances and called the Team out for a Full Rescue.  Due to the nature of the reporting length of fall and injuries a Coastguard Rescue Helicopter was requested to assist. Team Members headed to the scene and the first party arrived just as Rescue 199 from Prestwick arrived.  The casualty was treated and then winched on board the Helicopter and flown down to Patterdale Base where he was transferred to an Ambulance to be taken to hospital for further treatment.  Due to initial low numbers and the prospect of a prolonged and difficult extraction if the Helicopter couldn’t get to scene a request was made for Penrith Mountain Rescue to assist us.
The rescue lasted 4.5 hrs involving 13 Patterdale members and 5 Penrith members, our thanks to  both Penrith and Rescue 199 for their assistance.

On 19/11/25 the team were called regards a couple who got themselves stuck on a footpath on Gowbarrow. One of the couple had unsuitable clothing and trainers without tread. Because of this they were unable to walk up one of the inclines which were very slippery due to the wintery conditions . The team leader made telephone contact and directed the couple along an alternative footpath towards Watermillock church. Because the couple had got very cold and darkness had set in, a team landrover then collected the couple and dropped them back at their vehicle at the Aira Force carpark.

On Saturday 8th November at 14:26hrs Patterdale Mountain Rescue recieved a call via Cumbria Police informing them  that a female had sustained an ankle injury at Threshwaite Mouth in the Hartsop Valley. The injury was a simple slip causing pain and swelling to her ankle. She had tried to walk and self rescue for a period before it became too painfull. The team deployed via Pasture Bottom making their way up the steep head wall to the casualty. Following assessment and packaging by the teams medics the casualty was stretchered back down the valley, the rescue involved a lengthy extraction with multiple rope lowers in the dark before reaching the valley bottom.
The Casualty and her partner were taken to their holiday accommodation where they were then able to go to Hospital for further treatment in their own vehicle.
The incident involved 11 members for a total of  5 hours.

It was an early start for Patterdale Mountain Rescue when they recieved a call to assist a male, who was unable to walk on Striding Edge, at 0915. The casualty had damaged their lower leg whilst on the Striding Edge ridge which leads up to Helvellyn. The ridge is a popular route with exposed drops either side. Despite strong gusts and cloud the team located the casualty on the path. Due to his injuries he was unable to walk off, and the narrow rocky paths made the extracation difficult. Following on scene medical treatment the casualty was lowered down the slope towards Red Tarn.  The forecast rains then arrived for the final descent to the mountain rescue base where the casualty was reaccessed  before making their way to hospital. The rescue involved 10 team members and lasted 5 hours.

On Saturday 18th October at 21:37hrs the Team were contacted by Cumbria Police to a male who had planned on camping on the Helvellyn area and had succumbed to the wild weather and his tent had broken.  On speaking to the male the Duty Leader established he had packed his tent up and attempted to head down the hill but had taken a wrong turn and had ended up on steep ground and felt unable to go any further. A limited call out was initiated and team members drove up the Grisedale valley in a Rescue Landrover then made their way on foot to the scene.   The male was then escorted back down to the vehicles and driven back to Patterdale Base.   4  Team members were involved in the rescue which lasted 3 hours in total.

Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team
Date: Thursday 16th October 2025

At approximately 1:45 PM on Thursday 16th October, Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team was called out by North West Ambulance Service to assist a 79-year-old walker who had sustained a serious lower leg injury near the summit of Gowbarrow Fell .
A member of the public was already on scene providing support. Following a brief assessment over the phone, it was clear the injury posed a potential significant risk to the limb . The Great North Air Ambulance Service was initially dispatched but had to return to base due to low fuel and unsuitable landing conditions .
A Coastguard helicopter from HM Coastguard Prestwick was then requested and successfully landed close to the scene. Once on site, two Remote Rescue Medical Technicians from Patterdale MRT and the Coastguard Paramedic worked together to:

Administer pain relief
Splint the injured limb
Secure the casualty in a stretcher

The casualty was then airlifted to King George V playing field, Patterdale , where they were transferred into a Patterdale MRT Land Rover and taken to the rescue base to meet a waiting ambulance for onward hospital care.
This complex rescue involved 10 volunteer team members and took approximately 3 hours to complete.
Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team would like to extend heartfelt thanks to all those involved in the successful rescue:

Great North Air Ambulance Service
HM Coastguard team from Prestwick
North West Ambulance Service
And the kind members of the public who stayed with the casualty until our arrival

Your support and collaboration were invaluable.

At 13:50 on Tuesday October 14th, Cumbria Police requested the assistance of Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team for a walker who had sustained a lower leg injury while out on the path that traverses Gowbarrow Fell. Ten team member responded to the incident and once the casualty had been assessed and their leg had been splinted, they were stretchered from the fell to a waiting MR vehicle.

This incident involved ten team members and lasted for 3.5 hours.

Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team Rescues Injured Walker at Threshthwaite Mouth
Patterdale, Lake District – 11 October 2025 – The Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team (PMRT) successfully carried out a rescue operation today, Saturday 11 October, after a walker sustained a lower leg injury at Threshthwaite Mouth.
The team was alerted by the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) and quickly deployed to the location. Due to the remote and rugged terrain, team members utilized Land Rovers to drive part way up the valley before continuing their ascent on foot.
Once on scene, the casualty was assessed by a PMRT doctor and treated by both the doctor and a Remote Rescue Medical Technician. Following initial stabilization and then being given pain relief, the walker was carefully secured into a rescue stretcher.
“The location at Threshthwaite Mouth presents a challenging carry-out, and the team worked efficiently to stabilize the casualty and prepare for the evacuation,” a PMRT spokesperson stated.
The rescue required a long and arduous descent, with team members carrying the stretcher over the rough ground back to the waiting team vehicle. The operation was successfully completed, and once back at the base she was rechecked by the team Doctor and the casualty was transferred into the care of their friend to be taken to hospital.
The Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team is a voluntary organization that relies on donations to continue providing this vital service in the fell areas of the Lake District.
This rescue lasted 4 hours 30 min and 13 vol unteer Team members were involved

On Friday 03/10/25 at 1342 hrs at around the same time storm Amy was landing, the team were called out regards a walker who had twisted his ankle and was unable to continue. The walker had raised the alarm from the wind shelter on Great Dodd Fell. The walker had been walking from Ambleside and after he had twisted his ankle had managed to get to the windshelter on the summit. The team responded with 13 members going on the fell. It was a real challenge getting to the casualty with team members battling torrential rain and up to 80mph winds which caused being blown over at times. When near the summit the team decided to put the stretcher together and put their kit on top and drag this to the windshelter as it was impossible to carry this any longer. Once the casualty was reached he was given pain relief and was then evacuated on a stretcher down the fell towards the landrovers. From there he was taken to the base and reunited with his friends who came to collect him. Unfortunately one team member twisted his leg when he was blown over but was able to make his own way down the fell slowly. The rescue lasted 5hrs.

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