New figures have revealed the rising pressure being put on the Lake District’s 12 mountain rescue teams.
Rescuers are bracing themselves for the peak summer period in the national park after the first seven months of 2025 have already proven some of the busiest on record.
The volunteer teams’ umbrella organisation Lake District Search and Rescue Association released the figures ahead of this year’s peak summer season to raise awareness and remind people to be prepared.
From January to June 2025, teams have already responded to 417 callouts, compared with 370 over the same period last year and 364 in 2023.
The association is responsible for 12 rescue teams, including: Cockermouth, Coniston, Duddon & Furness, Kendal, Keswick, Kirkby Stephen, Langdale Ambleside, Patterdale, Penrith and Wasdale as well as the search dogs team and Cumbria ore mines rescue unit.
It said while teams are coping with the rise in callouts, it is only due to long-term changes, like gaining new recruits and the use of technology to help with incidents.
Its figures show that the majority of callouts in 2025 were classed as avoidable – which meant teams were called out due to poor planning or preparation by people taking to the fells.
The largest proportion of people rescued by Lake District mountain rescue teams were aged 18 to 24 with the second largest being those aged 25 to 29.
Nick said that teams are aware of new influxes of young people visiting the area and taking to the fells, based on Ordnance Survey data.
Last year, teams said they believed social media was also contributing to the increase in rescues.
Reasons for callouts this year have varied widely, from calls requesting assistance to serious medical emergencies.
Teams have also responded to six deaths and body recovery call outs so far this year.
Groups of walkers becoming split up have also contributed to 12 incidents this year so far and just last week, Wasdale Mountain Rescue team urged walkers in groups to stick together to help prevent possible callouts.
A total of 62 callouts were also due to walkers being lost while a further 37 were overdue. Teams have also recorded seven incidents of walkers finding themselves ‘benighted’ where they are without a torch and lost in the dark on the fells.
Teams have also dealt with eight missing people incidents and three suicide incidents this year.
Out of all medical incidents and injuries responded to by the association this year so far, ankle injuries were the most common.
A total of 56 ankle related incidents were recorded while lower leg injuires came in second, with 33 incidents recorded this year so far.
The third most reported was head injuries at 27 incidents and the fourth was becoming unwell, at 23 incidents.
Month on month, 999 calls have been higher or on par with the amount of calls recorded in 2024.
There was a particularly large difference in callouts in January, when teams recorded 73 incidents versus only 48 in January 2024.
Rescue teams and emergency services were called out to dozens of snow incidents this January and in one night alone, they helped 24 stranded drivers.
In the cold weather they also responded to abandoned tents, unprepared walkers and one group who ignored road closure signs on a Lake District mountain pass.
People taking to the fells are urged by the Lake District’s mountain rescue team’s to #BeAdventureSmart and ask themselves the following questions before setting off:
1. Do I have the right gear?
2. Do I know what the weather will be like?
3. Am I confident that I have the knowledge and skills for the day?
You can check mountain weather forecasts here and find out more about Adventure Smart here.
You can donate to the Lake District’s Mountain Rescue teams here.
