On Saturday 04/12/22 at around 10:30 the Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team received a call out from North West Ambulance Service with regard to a walker who had fainted and suffered a seizure. The walker and her friend had only just set off from Hartsop to walk to Angle Tarn when she unexpectedly fainted and fell to the ground.

Another couple who were passing stopped to help and they called 999. The Patterdale team, the Great North Air Ambulance and a land ambulance responded. The casualty was assessed by the helimed medic and she was then transferred to the land ambulance in the team’s Landrover.

Team members from Patterdale MRT were called by North West Ambulance Service to their second rescue of the day after reports of a man who had collapsed while walking along the Ullswater Way. Due to the nature of the request for assistance, Helimed (H58) was immediately requested and was able to provide immediate medical assistance on arrival.

It is with great sadness that the gentleman could not be resuscitated and the Team wishes to pass on our thoughts and condolences to his family and friends.

The Team’s 2022 incident attendance register records this callout as “Heat exhaustion Miresbeck”. No further public press-release wording survives in the archive.

The Team’s 2022 incident attendance register records this callout as “Lake shore path – female with heat exhaustion”. No further public press-release wording survives in the archive.

The Team’s 2022 incident attendance register records this callout as “Aira Force, heat stroke”. No further public press-release wording survives in the archive.

At 20:05hrs on Friday 8th July Cumbria Constabulary requested Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team to assist a 69 year old male who had been walking with his colleagues in the Dovedale area. The man was unsteady on his feet and unable to finish his walk after he began to feel unwell a few hours earlier in the day.

The team located the group who were on the path leading from the top of Low Wood heading towards Hartsop Above How. After being treated by team doctors the man was carried off the hill by stretcher to a team Landrover and conveyed back to Patterdale Base. The man was then transported by North West Ambulance to Carlisle hospital for further treatment after it was suspected he had suffered a stroke earlier in the day.

16 team members attended the incident which took just over two hours to complete.

On Thursday 19th May Cumbria Police received reports of a man with chest pains whilst scrambling on Striding Edge. Volunteers from Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team were called out and deployed immediately to the scene. Due to the location and the seriousness of the casualty, a Coastguard Helicopter from Prestwick was requested, along with the Great North Air Ambulance.

The air ambulance landed on Helvellyn Summit and their medical teams, once on scene, began providing immediate medical care. Due to wind conditions the coastguard helicopter was unable to winch from the scene but assisted by transferring 13 team members and technical equipment onto Helvellyn summit. Once stabilised the casualty was transferred into the team stretcher and lowered 200 metres down the gulley towards Red Tarn basin.

He was carried to the outflow then transferred into the Rescue Helicopter and was flown to hospital for further treatment. Duty Leader for the rescue, Neil Barrow, stated “This was our second challenging and technical rescue within a week on Striding Edge, taking over 5 hours in total and involving 18 team members.” Thanks to the Coastguard Helicopter for their quick response and assisting in lifting team members and equipment onto the summit, saving valuable time.

The Team’s 2022 incident attendance register records this callout as “Exhausted Male seldom seen”. It was recorded as a limited callout. No further public press-release wording survives in the archive.

Unpaid volunteers from Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team left their families and places of work on Wednesday 20th April in glorious sunshine to rescue an elderly gentleman who was suffering from cramp during his walk above Deepdale. The gentleman’s location was close to the summit of Cofa Pike, one of the least accessible places within Patterdale’s area and the subject of many a discussion on the best route in!

Thankfully, on arrival at the scene the gentleman, who was a keen walker, was beginning to feel well again. However, as a precautionary measure, he was assessed by team medics before being evacuated by stretcher down via Grisedale Forest. During the evacuation the Team received two further requests for assistance. The first, from a group who found themselves on steep ground during their descent from Sticks Pass towards Greenside Mines.

A member of the team were able to make contact via mobile phone, ascertain their location and guide the group back onto safe ground. The group, who were extremely grateful, were then able to continue their descent back into the Glenridding. The second, from a lady who was concerned for the whereabouts of her husband, who was late in returning from Helvellyn to their car, parked at Swirls Carpark, Thirlmere.

Thankfully as the team were talking with the gentleman and Keswick MRT, he confirmed he was safe and well and within five minutes walk from the car park. On returning back to base, team members had a “quick cup of tea” before repacking the medical and rescue equipment and the Landrovers in readiness for the next rescue.

At 17:18 on Monday 11/04/2022 Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team was alterted by Cumbria Police to a report of an exhausted walker on Striding Edge. The reporting person was contacted by mobile phone and, after an initial assessment, they were encouraged to make there way slowly down with the exhausted walker.

Meanwhile, a small party of Team members ascended to meet them. The casualty was examined and provided with additional food and drink before they completed the descent to the Valley. The rescue lasted two hours and involved 6 team members.