Rescuers set up a rope to allow a safe descent. Photo: Keswick MRT
Rescuers used a harness and rope to bring to safety a walker who had ventured into steep ground on a Lake District mountainside.
Keswick Mountain Rescue Team was called out at 6.05pm on Thursday when the woman called for help from the western slopes of Helvellyn.
A team spokesperson said: “A couple had traversed Helvellyn from Wythburn Church over the summit and down to Swirls.
“They took two separate routes to return through the woods back to Wythburn. When the upper path became very indistinct and impassable due to fallen trees and general overgrowth the female ended up hopping over the fence and attempting to traverse the bracken slopes above the trees.
“After battling some considerable distance through chest-high bracken the woman reached the edge of a steep gully and decided it was time to call for help.”
A small number of team members approached from the Wythburn end of the track and made their way up to the woman.
The spokesperson said: “A harness was fitted and using a rope secured from above it was possible to safeguard the female down, across the gully and down to the forest track and her waiting husband.”
The rescue lasted 1¾ hours and involved 10 Keswick MRT volunteers.
Paul T
04 September 2021This is the kind of stupidity that really pee's off the rest of us.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with the 'proper' paths and tracks through those woods.
"took two separate routes" idiots
Sheepy
04 September 2021Could she not just have backtracked?
Paul
05 September 2021Backtracking can be just as bad sometimes
Jo Austin
11 September 2021This is what happens when you take short cuts. They rarely end well.
Happened to me when I was stupid years ago. Rather than call MRT however, I turned back and followed the proper path that I should have taken in the first place.
Lesson learned.
Stuart
12 September 2021It is just as brave to turn around as it is to carry on.