A walker who fell at a Lake District accident blackspot found himself dropping in on rescuers who were already tending to a man who had fallen at the same place minutes earlier.
The bizarre double accident, involving unrelated mountaineers, happened on Broad Stand, between Scafell and Scafell Pike. Both men were airlifted to hospital after treatment at the site.
Julian Carradice of the Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team said the incident was unique in his 30 years’ service in mountain rescue.
The team was called out at 3pm on Thursday to reports that a 32-year-old Penrith man had injured his arm after falling 25m (80ft) down the crag, which overlooks the col on Mickledore, between England’s highest and second-highest mountains.
Richard Warren, chairman of the Wasdale team, said: “Further information suggested that the injuries could be more severe. As the team arrived on scene a second walker fell from exactly the same place and landed amongst the rescuers. This casualty suffered almost identical injuries but received immediate first aid. None of the rescuers were injured.”
Mr Carradice said the rescuers had been attending the first casualty for only a couple of minutes when he heard a shout and the sound of the second man sliding down the rock slope. He tried to break the man’s fall, but the walker, a 43-year-old from Manchester, also injured his arm.
Both men were flown by a Sea King helicopter from RAF Boulmer to West Cumberland Hospital, Whitehaven, for further treatment. 17 rescuers were involved in the incident.
Mr Warren warned: “Broad Stand appears on maps as a short cut between Scafell and Scafell Pike but it involves a short, but treacherous descent down a rock face that has claimed many victims over the years.”
In February 2008, 49-year-old David Woodland, of Gloucestershire died in a fall on Broad Stand. The previous year, 59-year-old Ambleside man Peter Keely also suffered fatal injuries at the site.
Broad Stand figures as one of three accident blackspots on the Wasdale MRT site, along with Piers Gill and Lord’s Rake. It is also on the route of the Bob Graham Round, a 116km (72-mile) challenge in which 42 peaks are tackled within 24 hours.
Alfred Wainwright described Broad Stand in one of his Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells as ‘the greatest single obstacle confronting ridge-walkers on the hills of Lakeland’.
Broad Stand, though a rock climb, is rated ‘easy’. It has one particularly awkward move, and the rock at this crux point is polished and smooth, with a 9m (30ft) immediate drop if a fall occurs. A safer route at the crux is to move in away from the exposed edge into the corner of the rock, where there is less of a drop. However, none of these are classed as suitable for walkers.
The safest route for non-climbers is a short descent from the col down the Eskdale side of Mickledore, then a short scramble up to Foxes Tarn before heading for Scafell’s summit.
Mr Carradice recently removed three badly placed climbing bolts which had mysteriously appeared on the crag. He removed them on safety grounds after consulting the mountain’s owner, the National Trust, the British Mountaineering Council and the Fell and Rock Climbing Club. The bolts were unlikely to survive the freeze-thaw of a winter and were in contravention of British climbing ethics, which seek to keep mountain crags and climbing routes free of permanent protection.
In any case, said Mr Carradice, there are far better placements on the route for natural protection.
Samuel Coleridge reputedly recorded the first recreational rock climb in the district in 1802 by descending Broad Stand by hanging from its rock and dropping on to the narrow ledge below.
M Frewin
08 August 2009Hi may partner and I were going up Broad stand when the first accident happened, but were unaware that any one was hurt. As we were going up we heard a loud noise like thunder and then there was a rock fall. A rock as large as a man fell and split into several pieces as it crashed down the mountain side. We were far over to the left hand side, but if we had been further up the rocks would have hit us. I assume the rock fall was caused by the first person falling. We felt it was too dangerous to continue to the summit so we came down unaware that anyone was hurt. When we reached the bottom a man and his son were going to go up we warned them that there had been a rock fall, but they decided to continue up. On our walk back we then heard the rescue helicopter, later we heard more helicopters. When we returned home to day we saw the news story on the BBC news website.
Jon
10 August 2009Is Broad Stand really graded Easy these days? From my regular climbing days many years ago I recall it being Diff, and that's the grade I would give it (in dry conditions). Just because it's short doesn't mean it's a doddle, and its level of technical difficulty and its exposure and potential for severe injury or death make it a serious undertaking for the many non-climbers who see it as "just a scramble". That's probably particularly true in descent.
I do wish more people would talk up its difficulties rather than talk them down. No doubt many people do find it easy, but in my opinion Wainwright (who tended to be a bit of an old woman about scrambling) was right about Broad Stand - "not for walkers".
Heather Morning
11 August 2009Very interesting to see the theme of 'blackspots' highlighted in the Lakes. Here in Scotland there has been lengthly discussions recently on the UK Climbing Forum regarding the Clachaig Gully descent track off the western end of the Aonach Eagach where there were two fatalities earlier this summer.
In response to this, TGO (in the Oct issue) are publishing an article written by the Mountain Safety Advisor for the MCofS discussing the issue of accident blackspots. Raising the question 'Is it the people or the mountains to blame?'
Mrs Battersby
01 January 2012Thanks to Wasdale MRT, my husband is now fully recovered, I think this particular part should have a warning to hill-walkers of the dangers of tackling Broadstand.
He was the 43 year old from Manchester, we very nearly lost him doing the hobby he loves - walking and enjoying the beautiful, yet sometimes very dangerous countryside we live in. He still has a steel pin in his arm to remind him of that near-fateful day but at least he is alive.
Helen Battersby.
Bob
01 January 2012Happy to hear your husband is recovered Helen.
From the Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team website: http://www.wmrt.org.uk/advice/accident-black-spots/scafell-broad-stand/
"Broad Stand is a short cut between Scafell Pike and Scafell. It has been described as a scramble but has moves of rock climbing difficulty above an unforgiving landing.
"The walkers’ route between Scafell and Scafell Pike involves descending towards upper Eskdale via Foxes Tarn, south east of the direct route.
Please note Broad Stand is an extremely dangerous area which has unfortunately seen a number of fatalities."
Bob Smith
Editor
John Carter
17 January 2012Some 50 years ago I walked from the Bower House in Eskdale up over Slight Side to the Scafell summit. A fine January day with no wind and the company of my little boy. We took our time so it was 4 pm and sunset when we started down towards Mickledoor. Unbelievably, I had forgotten the existence of Broad Stand and found myself, in bright moonlight edging down on forming ice towards that peril. How to get the little chap down that cliff? By hooking my rucksack over a knob of rock I dangled my full length and got the boy to climb down my body to the platform below. Then it was just Fat Mans agony, Cam spout and back to the telephone box.
My boy is now 60 and I give thanks to the luck that saved us that night