In the news

Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team was called out at 18:46 on 27th February by two mountain bikers who had heard shouts for help and barking as they descended from Scarth Gap to Gatesgarth, Buttermere.

The Team spoke with the informant and determined that the shouts were coming from the buttresses of High Crag, and made their way to Gatesgarth. In the meantime one of the mountain bikers located and climbed to the shouting individual, who was a lady who had become crag-fast whilst attempting to retrieve her dogs, which had descended the wrong way and themselves become stuck on the crag.

As the Team arrived, the casualty’s torch could be seen on High Crag buttress from Gatesgarth, and team members made their way up the fell and onto the crag, setting up a fixed rope system as they climbed. The casualty and mountain biker were located safe and well, then taken off the crag with a series of lowers. Two Team members then ascended to the top of High Crag with the two dogs, as it was deemed to be a safer method of retrieving them. The casualty was escorted safely to her vehicle and reunited with her dogs at Gatesgarth.

Team leader Andrew McNeil said;

‘This was a proper mountain rescue, with a casualty and two dogs stuck on technical ground, in the dark and in challenging windy conditions. The casualty was in a precarious position and the mountain bikers did a great job in calling the team and getting to her location. Rescues involving dogs in steep ground always have an element of unpredictability. In this instance we were able to safely get to them and lead them off over High Crag to be reunited with the casualty.’

This was the Teams 12th callout of 2022, it lasted roughly four hours and involved 12 Team Members. Cockermouth Mountain Rescue wishes the casualty a speedy recovery.