Woman fallen at Hartsop

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.