The rescue scene on Broad Stand. Photo: Wasdale MRT
A group of walkers was rescued from a Lake District accident blackspot just 24 hours after a man had fallen to his death at the same site.
Rescuers warned that the route on Broad Stand on Scafell is not a walkers’ path and should only be tackled by those with climbing skills.
Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team was called out about 2pm on Thursday when five walkers got into difficulty on steep ground above Mickledore, the col between Scafell and Scafell Pike.
The team said the incident could have been a repeat of the tragic fatality the previous day when a man in his 20s fell to his death on Broad Stand.
Richard Warren of Wasdale MRT said: “Five male walkers in their late teens made a navigational error on the summit of Scafell thinking they could walk directly between Scafell and Scafell Pike and found themselves cragfast on serious ground.
“One did manage with great difficulty to get down but only by falling and injuring his lower leg and suffering a few abrasions. Fortunately he was very lucky not to have sustained more serious injuries.
“The remaining four had to be roped off the crag.”
The injured man had managed to descend via Mickledore Chimney, which Mr Warren said is not a recognised descent route.
“The message is very clear regarding Broad Stand on Scafell: it is not a walkers’ path; it is in fact a serious descent or ascent that should not be undertaken lightly unless you have climbing skills and a rope.
“Finding a route down to the final rock step in bad weather is extremely challenging. The rock is extremely slippery when damp.
“The route is exposed with severe drops. A simple slip can lead to a 60m to 100m fall resulting in life-threatening injuries.”
While the team were attending this incident, a further call came in from Cumbria Police for a walker who had fallen off the Corridor route into Greta Gill sustaining injuries.
Mr Warren said: “Two team members were diverted to this incident to administer casualty care and analgesia before evacuating the casualty by Coastguard helicopter and taken to Furness General hospital.
“The five walkers from the first incident were walked off the mountain and returned to their campsite in Eskdale having learnt from their life threatening experience.”
A further call then came in for a third incident on Great Gable followed by a fourth to check out walkers on the boulder field path on the Wast Water Screes. The team final stood down about 9pm. The Broad Stand rescue involved 12 volunteers from Wasdale MRT.
Eifion
31 August 2018How many accidents and call-outs could be avoided if we just placed a few discreet metal aids such as are common in places like this in the Alps. A couple of metal rungs; the odd spike; a short length of wire or chain could save so much heart ache at several of the Lake District accident black spots and would,in no way, spoil the beauty or experience of the location.
David Guy-Johnson
31 August 2018Not many call outs at all as these only constitute a small number of total call outs. That would have been of no use on Broad Stand where a full length ladder would have been needed and probably more.
Mick
31 August 2018It does not need any aid putting place because it is not a walking route.
John Manning
31 August 2018Broad Stand's not for walkers, pure and simple.
I'd hate to see metal aids in the fells; most of us go there for natural beauty. Metal aids aplenty on indoor walls and bolted climbing routes.
Lindsay Buck
31 August 2018Well done Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team on their commitment & expertise. It is worrying that Broad Stand would be considered by walkers but I met two men yesterday wanting to know if Lord’s Rake or Broad Stand were the best way onto Scafell. They had a map but hadn’t seen Foxes Tarn as the obvious route from the top of Mickledore, a worrying trend.
Paul Hesp
01 September 2018The usual story: people don't inform themselves about the difficulties and/or cannot 'read' the terrain. In Austria, where I live, the various aids are (all too) common, but if you put them in place you also need markings to guide people to them. There won't be much support for that sort of thing in the UK.
denzil bell
01 September 2018Perhaps a sign at the Broad Stand end of Mickledore warning that it is a climbing route only. I know signs are anathema to all of us who walk the fells but if it saves a life!
CE
01 September 2018Repair of the Foxes Tarn path would be a good starting point so that a more obvious path could be seen - a simple slate sign stating 'Scafell Pike' with an arrow towards the Foxes Tarn footpath on the approach to Sca fell really wouldn't be so terrible.
The accidents occur generally with people descending while trying to get to Scarfell Pike so any metalwork would be irrelevant.
Alan Scowcroft
04 September 2018The problem is not a lack of signs. In dry conditions the bad step is no big deal but it is very tricky when wet. I have rigged it with ropes for runners doing the Bob Graham round and it can be made safe. What it needs is a few bolts and a short length of chain.
Mike
09 September 2018No bolts, no chains, no wires. Either learn to climb and take your own gear or take a walkers route. And what happens when somebody loses a grip in the chain and falls to their death? People are accountable for their own safety and must take routes that they have the skills to tackle. Put aids in here and before you know it there will be a handrail on Sharp Edge and a ladder at the end of Striding Edge. I am a walker who has never climbed and I know that if I want to climb Broad Stand I would need to hire a guide and use ropes, which I may well do. In the meantime its down to foxes tarn and back up again if I want to do both peaks. This is a free country and people are free to chose to take risks with their own lives. The news of the fatality is very sad and I am so sorry for the mans family, but it is a dangerous place to be and he made a mistake which is a great pity. But putting in such devices would not remove the need for climbing skills and would just cause more deaths unless people are roped and have the skills to climb
Steve
29 October 2018I tend very much to agree with the 'leave as is' opinions. I walk and I occasionally have been known to do low rated scrambles if no alternative is available but I was up there last Friday lunch after ceding guide rights to my walking partner and allowing myself to be cajoled past Lords rake and up to the Broad stand area. She at this point saw the next step was a descent and averse to such an approach looked across at Broad Stand and suggested she was 'up for it'. I took one look at the various lower angles all pointing towards nasty drops and commented 'feel free to go if you want I will descend and meet you at the top' - the tone of my voice appeared to have the desired effect and we had a safe and interesting detour via the tarn route. My point being if you can seriously look at that little beauty and think 'yes that looks like something a common or garden walker like myself can do' then nothing short of strategically located Stenna chair lifts across the district will save you from injury on the fells. By the way my job is group H&S manager (hope the opening line above quashes the common mis-characterisation of my profession.Steve
Robert Mackie
30 December 2021Use common sense. Read about your hike before you go out.