The walkers were near Piers Gill, a deep ravine on the slopes of Lingmell. Photo: Bob Smith/grough
Two walkers were rescued after getting lost in poor visibility near an accident blackspot in the Lake District.
Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team was called out at 6.30pm on Tuesday after a request from Cumbria Constabulary.
The man and his son reported themselves disoriented near Piers Gill in the Scafell range.
A team spokesperson said: “Immediately recognising the potential consequences associated to the difficult ground with that area, the team leader, following current Mountain Rescue England and Wales Covid-19 protocols, deployed our rescuers and the team’s search dog Jess and her handler.
“As soon as Jess and her handler arrived on location Jess was very quickly able to locate the lost persons in the mist and reduced light conditions.
“Team members immediately assessed the situation from the risks associated with Covid-19 as per all mountain rescue incidents going forward, and were able to confirm this risk to be minimal.
“After an initial welfare check the gentleman and his teenage son were issued with a headtorch each and safely guided back down to the valley bottom by the rest of the team, maintaining social distancing throughout.”
The spokesperson said Piers Gill, on the flanks of Lingmell, is an extremely dangerous environment where the team has encountered many fatalities over the decades.
“Through making poor judgements on the weather forecast, the equipment they failed to bring and also the reliance on navigating by phone apps, the gentleman and his teenage son found themselves in a knife-edge situation that could have very easily gone either way, putting themselves and team members at risk.
“Nobody is perfect and human nature dictates that we can’t always make the right call every time, especially under stressful situations.
“Therefore, to help our visitors to the Lake District to become both well informed and able to make the best decisions with the best outcomes, Wasdale MRT is working with Adventure Smart UK to provide guidance on making the right preparations and the right decisions for a day out on the mountains.”
Advice is on the Adventure Smart UK website.
Michael Graham
20 May 2020Cannot undrstand why a warning sign is not erected here as this spot has proved fatal over the years. Walkers wander into Pies Gill regularly.
Pricey
20 May 2020Wasdale MRT did float the idea of a few signs on the Sca Fell Pike routes - I guess the idea wasn’t taken up, but there was an absolute uproar against the idea among part of the hiking fraternity. Personally, if it reduces the numbers of folks getting into difficulties, I’m all in favour. The argument went that people shouldn’t need signs...but that argument totally misses the point, in my view.
Sheepy
21 May 2020Signs?
Nothing to do with them being ill equipped then?
MRT have asked people to stay off the high fells in the current situation. Better still if you don't know what you are doing and don't have appropriate equipment and the weather isn't great, then a couple of brain cells may make you think twice.
Still, lets litter the fells with signs for the half wits and hard of thinking instead.
Mike
21 May 2020No signs please, will just encourage even less common sense to be used; "I don't need a map, I'll follow the signs....."
MRDog
21 May 2020Given "the mist and reduced light conditions", of course, any sign would also need to be illuminated. Solar-powered, did you say?
Pendle wanderer
21 May 2020I think in extreme locations with a lot of fatalities it would be good to put a sign up. Why there would be an uproar in the hiking fraternity beats me. Saving lives of some ill informed hikers is preferable to some elitist hiking group that think the hills are only for them being upset is preferable.
Mike
22 May 2020For every life such an 'Extreme Danger' type sign would save (and there have been lots of accidents/incidents, not 'lots of fatalities') it will cost a life by acting as a magnet for any thrill seekers wondering what all the fuss is about and wanting to prove the sign wrong. I'm not an 'elitist hiker' (but I'll try to remember that phrase with a smile next time I'm soaked, cold and up to my knees in bog) and I'm all for saving lives, I just don't believe this is the right way.
Jon from Ambleside
23 May 2020My understanding (from talking to a Wasdale MR team member some time ago) was that they wanted ONE low level, slate style sign on Lingmell Cove directing descending walkers left to Wasdale and right to the Corridor route / Borrowdale. This is where lost walkers continue straight ahead (ish!) towards the danger of Piers Gill. It was the National Trust who own (or just look after?) the land who objected with the "slippery slope" argument. Would such an unobtrusive, potentially life saving sign really detract from our enjoyment of the fells? I think that we should be guided by the wisdom of those selfless souls (and I'm afraid that I'm not one) who drop everything to help those stuck in or approaching Piers Gill. When last on Snowdon, I noticed that there was a similar sign to that proposed where the route up Crib Goch diverts from the main Pyg Track up the mountain stating the nature of Crib Goch etc. Did that lessen my enjoyment of a walk along the ridge and the mountain? Certainly not. Obviously people should be properly equipped and have the knowledge and experience for their chosen mountain route but not to, very subtly in known accident blackspots, assist those who, sadly inevitably won't be, is to simply pretend that a problem does not exist when it manifestly does