Wasdale Head Inn. Photo: Bob Smith Photography

A Lake District team has had to pay hotel costs for a pair of walkers they rescued, after the men left without settling their bill.

Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team appealed to the young men to do the right thing and reimburse the volunteer team, which is a registered charity.

The pair who showed a lack of festive spirit had also been aided by a wild camper high on the fells who sheltered them on the night of 29 December until rescuers arrived.

A spokesperson for Wasdale MRT said: “We avoid judging those we rescue but struggle to understand when the rescued take advantage of hospitality provided by our supporters in the valley.”

The team described the incident as an avoidable, seven-hour rescue. Police alerted the volunteers to two young male walkers lost at night, high on Scafell Pike with treacherous wintry underfoot conditions.

The spokesperson said: “Their location was identified as the Corridor Route just before the Bad Step.

“A limited callout was made to locate the walkers and escort them to safety. Shortly afterwards, a further call was received to say that a nearby wild camper had heard shouts, located the walkers and sheltered them at his tent at Chriscliffe Knotts until team members arrived.

“The pair were located, given extra warm jackets and microspikes due to the icy conditions, and were walked back to Brackenclose as the safest descent route. One of the walker’s previous knee injury worsened on the descent and he was given simple pain relief to help, alongside direct support from team members.”

“When they were safely returned to the valley bottom, wet and hungry in the early hours of the next day, Steve the bar manager at the Wasdale Head Inn kindly agreed to stay up, provide some snacks and let the two men stay in one of the unoccupied apartments at a significant 35 per cent reduced rate.

“The two had already agreed to pay but their money was in their tent somewhere high on the fell near Green Gable.

“Disappointingly, in the morning they offered no thanks for the efforts of the hotel, asked for further reductions to the cost, pushed hard for a breakfast and asked if they could arrange transport to get them out of the valley.

“The answer was: sorry no extras and please transfer money when you can.

The walkers got lost on Scafell Pike. Photo: Bob Smith Photography

“Sadly there has been no payment to the hotel of the £130 outstanding room cost or thank you to Steve. Neither did the telephone number given to Steve work.

“We as a volunteer organisation are also missing the two headtorches lent to them to get them safely off the mountain.

“The hotel has already agreed to cover the loss thanks to Steve and hotel owner. However, as we had promised to cover any loss if the walkers failed pay, we do still feel obliged to reimburse the hotel from our own funds in order that similar hospitality can be requested in the future under similar circumstances.”

Wasdale MRT said it has tried contacting the two walkers to encourage them to settle their debt with the hotel but also to return the headtorches. “We also would like to return their hospital crutch left in our vehicle that one of them with a previous leg injury had used on the ascent but again, sadly no replies to date.”

The team said it hoped publicising the incident might prompt the pair to settle their debt and return the headtorches. “They might also reflect on the kindness they were offered that night by the staff at the Wasdale Head Inn and our own volunteer team following their eventful visit to Cumbria.

“Our search and rescue service is freely provided by our unpaid volunteers. We never charge but equally donations are always appreciated, especially to help contribute to our significant capital and operational costs, and even some of our more unusual but rare £130 losses.”

Donations to Wasdale MRT can be made via the team’s website.