Lake District: Strangest mountain rescues in 2024 round-up

Cumbria's mountain rescue volunteers undertake heroic rescues almost every day, with harrowing, and often tragic circumstances and outcomes, and are often assisted by police, air ambulance and coastguard services among others. 

Occasionally though, we are able to marvel at their ingenuity under the most stressful of circumstances. 

Dogs can often be some of the heroes of these rescue missions, but sometimes we read about pooches in peril - here's one from March 4, 2024. 

Dogs lured with hotdogs on Scafell Pike in rescue of fallen owner

After a very tricky, complex rescue that ended in the rescue of a man with a broken leg on Scafell Pike in 'extremely cold' and snowy conditions, his two dogs were unable to reach the bottom, so rescuers had to get crafty.

As quickly as possible in the challenging conditions, a stretcher, casualty bag, heat blankets, vacuum mattress and dual rope system was also established and the walker was packaged securely. The haul out of the gill was completed to the awaiting team members.

All that was left was to rescue the walker’s two dogs. Team members from Duddon and Furness MRT and Wasdale volunteered to rescue the stranded pair.

A spokesperson for WMRT said: "They were cragfast and unable to reach their owner below.

"As the ‘nightshift’ clocked off and returned to base, the relief dayshift was heading up the fell.

"Once on scene, ropes were again used to keep team members safe whilst descending steep snowy ground to locate the dogs. They were encouraged gently with the lure of hotdogs back up the hill to safety and then back to base to be reunited later with family members."

The entire rescue lasted 19 hours and 23 minutes in total.

The team with the rescued dogs (Image: Keswick MRT)

We're fairly sure the following operatives wouldn't have been smiling at the time, but here is an example of the ongoing endurance of our rescuers in the face of the most infuriating of circumstances:

GNAAS helicopter stuck for two days in thick fog on Scafell Pike

A Great North Air Ambulance was stuck on top of England's highest mountain for two days, after fog and poor visibility forced the team to leave the helicopter on top of the peak following a quick change in conditions.

While attending a call-out on Scafell Pike, on Saturday, March 16 a dense cloud of fog surrounded our aircraft without warning- despite many checks by pilots the weather had changed in 'the blink of an eye'.

The team was still able to treat the patient we flew out to, and they accompanied them in the descent down the mountain alongside Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team and Duddon and Furness Mountain Rescue Team, but pilot Mik stayed with the aircraft to wait until a break in the clouds appeared.

That break didn't come until Monday afternoon, March 18 meaning the helicopter was at the top of Scafell Pike for two days, as the weather conditions did not allow for us to take off safely.

Pilot Mik, who had stayed overnight with the plane, was safely accompanied down the mountain on Sunday.

In a statement GNAAS said: "We're unable to fly in these conditions because of poor visibility and the increased likelihood of icing, which we cannot fly in due to strict guidelines from the Civil Aviation Authority - the safety of our patients, crew, and equipment is paramount in these situations..

"We're delighted to say that The Pride of Cumbria II was brought back home safe and sound thanks to pilot Stu, who made the three-hour ascent on Monday morning.

"Our teams were still on call responding to incidents via our rapid response vehicles and second helicopter, ensuring people in need across Cumbria still had access to our expert doctor and critical care paramedics.

"Huge thanks to everyone who helped us get out of this pickle, including the mountain rescue teams, Cumbria Police and Multiflight. Sometimes, it's not what happens, it's how you respond to the situation that matters most."

The helicopter is just visible through the fog (Image: GNAAS)

Volunteers from Keswick MRT endured an arduous day and night, and while it's always preferable to hear of safe outcomes for those involved, we're sure there were a few stern words for this reveller

What do you do with a drunken hiker

Around the time the team had arrived back at the vehicles at Seathwaite from the previous job a (late night) runner reported a man cold and intoxicated on a path above Seatoller.

The team with a search dog responded and found the man asleep on the path.

The search dog gave the customary bark when finding the casualty which immediately woke him up. He was helped to an ambulance at Seatoller and the team returned to base – and to bed – after a long night.

The team does not look amused (Image: Keswick MRT)

Speaking of stern words, this over-enthusiastic young man was probably not flavour of the month with rescuers - or his mother!

Teams called out to adventurous 21 year old whose tent collapsed on Helvellyn summit

Rescue teams were called out to help an 'adventurous 21-year-old' whose tent had broken whilst camping at the top of Helvellyn in wet and windy weather.

Keswick Mountain Rescue Team were called out to help the man who had climbed up Striding Edge and pitched his tent near the top of Helvellyn yesterday evening, August 8.

The team helped the young man down to the mountain base, where he was given a 'telling off' over the phone from his mum.

In a statement on social media, Keswick Mountain Rescue Team said: "An adventurous 21 year old decided on a camp on top of Helvellyn. After climbing Striding Edge he pitched his tent just south of the summit shelter.

"Whilst he had seen the forecasted rain and was prepared for that, the wind got the better of the tent and broke the poles.

"Concerned he may be lifted by the wind and thrown into Red Tarn inside the rapidly deteriorating tent, he escaped and took refuge behind the walls of the summit shelter from where he called 999 and asked for Mountain Rescue assistance.

"Five lucky members of Keswick team climbed Helvellyn from Swirls in somewhat dreich conditions and quickly found the man.

"He was wet and cold but was able to move quickly as he was guided down off the mountain.

"With his accommodation for the night still somewhere in the Helvellyn summit area he phoned his mum who after a bit of a telling off agreed to come and collect him from the team base."

The Keswick MRT on Helvellyn (Image: Keswick MRT)

Our mountain rescue and coastguard teams rely on donations and support from the public to function, so please visit their pages for more information on their rescues and for how to donate.