5/53:12/11/05 (4.54 p.m.) - Saturday

The team was called out by Ambulance Control following a '999' on a mobile.  A group of four walkers, two female and two male in their early forties, one suffering from a medical condition had set off from Borrowdale earlier that day to climb Great Gable.  They had lost the path on the way up from Styhead pass and got themselves onto the climbers traverse which runs across the south face of Great Napes.  They had ascended what was believed to be Sphinx Gulley and got themselves onto the grassy ridge below Westmoreland Crags.   At this point, in the cloud and rain, one of their party became too exhausted to go up or down.

The team requested support from RAF Watersham who were on a training weekend and already based in the valley. In high winds and driving rain they flew two groups of 5 team members as high as they could with first aid equipment, stretcher and lowering ropes.  The remainder of the team made their way up the mountain on foot. The casualty, very cold and wet and weak was stretchered down Great Hellgate to the bottom of Tophet wall on the Gable traverse path and then winched into the helicopter and taken down to the valley bottom and warmth of the Hotel.  The remaining three walkers were winched into the helicopter at the same location to join their recovering friend in the hotel.  There were 22 team members involved in the rescue which ended at around 11.30 p.m. that night. Grateful thanks to the Owner and staff at the Wasdale Head Hotel for their hospitality and care for the group.

postscript - most of the team returned to the summit of Great Gable the following morning to honor those lost in the great wars

Great Gable photograph taken the following morning at 8.45 a.m. - Beautiful day for remembrance Sunday and a complete change from the low cloud and driving rain the night before. The ridge where the 4 walkers were stranded was just below the summit, below Westmoreland Cragg but above the Napes Crags

Great Hellgate gulley. Tophet Wall is the very large rock wall in shadow - the helicopter carried out it's winching operations off the traverse path which is at the foot of this wall.  The ridge where the casualty was located was at the top of Great Hellgate, up and to the left, behind Tophet Wall.  Westmoreland Craggs can be seen in the background  

Sea King 126 from RAF Watersham does a Summit fly-by at 10.45 a.m. to the delight of the crowds gathering for the 11.00 a.m. two minutes silence.  Winchman and Winch Operator can be seen standing in the open door waving.  Much better flying conditions than those 12 hours earlier.