A Lake District mountain rescue team said members had to dig deep over the last 24 hours as they were called out four times.
Langdale Ambleside Mountain Rescue Team’s first call out was at around 1.05pm yesterday, Friday June 27 and its final call out was completed at 1.30pm today, Saturday June 28.
Members were called yesterday to Rossett Ghyll by Cumbria police as two groups of Duke of Edinburgh Awards students – a total of 12 walkers – had got into difficulty close to the summit of Bowfell.
The team said: “The grid reference of one of the groups put them at Ore Gap. At the same time, we received a second report from NWAS of a group on Bowfell.
“Being unable to communicate with either group and therefore not being able to confirm that this was the same job, two parties of team members set off up Rossett Ghyll and The Band.
“We also called in assistance from Kendal Mountain Rescue Team due to the group size and gaps in information.
“Both groups had kept moving since they called in and were thankfully found half way down Rossett Ghyll. Vehicles transported them down Mickleden to their intended campsite in Langdale.”
Around an hour later, at 6.10pm, the Langdale team was called by police about another group of Duke of Edinburgh Award students who were lost, wet and cold in their tent.
The team said: “Their intended location was Grizedale Tarn, however due to extremely reduced visibility they had become disorientated.
“After numerous calls to the school staff, as well as liaising with Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team, it was decided that we would send two small groups to search the paths from our patch up to the tarn.
“The group had set off from Grasmere and ascended Tongue Gill earlier that afternoon and were now uncontactable.
“Half of the grid reference given was accurate, meaning we were able to figure out roughly where the group would be.
“School staff also headed out to turn another of their groups around who were camping up Tongue Gill. One group headed up Raise Beck to the Tarn, while the other went up Little Tongue Gill.
“We located one group at the outflow of Grizedale Tarn and the other at Grizedale Hause. Team members helped the groups pack their tents and walked them down to the valley floor where they were met by the minibus to take them to Patterdale.”
The call out finished at 11.20pm, and then at around 1.55am today, Sunday June 28, the team was called again.
The team said: “We received a report that nine people were requiring assistance at Coadale Tarn.
“Again, not being able to get in touch with the campers meant that we had no choice other than to head out to assist.
“We scraped together a party of six – three of whom had already been out on the previous rescue and two had been out on both – and headed up the valley.
“Once on scene, we helped the campers pack away their collapsed tents, filled with an abundance of items, and started the long walk back to the vehicles.”
The call was wrapped up at around 7.25am.
The team’s final call out of the 24 hours was an ankle injury at Garburn Pass. They were called at around 11.30am, where the casualty was assessed and stretchered to Troutbeck.
The team said: “Planning and preparation is absolutely key when heading out into the mountains.
“There are so many ways to assess the mountain weather forecast, ensure you have the equipment you need and gain the skills to undertake your planned activity. As we often say, we will always come out to help those in need and we know that accidents happen; all we ask is that you do everything in your power to create a safe and successful day.”
