Rescue teams in nine hour search for missing walkers (From The Westmorland Gazette)

These things wouldn't happen if people didn't leave word of where they were going and when they were expected back, if they didn't carry mobile phones, if they expected to have to get themselves back-I'm pleased to say I follow these rules myself-and if 'rescues' didn't start till the following day.
As it is, things can only get worse, until the burden of paying for all these helicopters brings in demands for compulsory insurance.

"Approximately fourty MRT members were involved in this rescue that took around nine hours. A spokesperson from the team said: “It was the team’s second all night rescue in four nights. Both of these rescues were avoidable with proper preparation and planning and taking map, compass torches and knowing who to use."
Frozen in time.

I am one of the two rescued from the side of Ill Crag in this rescue. It's a night I will never forget. I openly admit we were naive and ill prepared to say the least for the rapid changes in weather at the top of Scafell. The climb was relatively straightforward. As we approached the top the sky was overcast but not much wind and no warning of what was to come. I videod the last 20 metres of the climb. In the last 30 seconds of the video you hear a storm come in from nowhere and visibility was reduced to a point where the edge couldn't be seen. One simple miscalculation took us down the wrong side of scafell. By the time we realised we'd descended the wrong side the storm had got thicker and couldn't even see the top. The decision to descend out of the storm and to follow a small river with the assumption that it would come out at a lake was costly. We ended up in the valley between Ill Crag and Esk Pike. With now not enough daylight to climb again, a storm that hadn't lifted, being soaked through literally to the skin, raising the alarm was our only option. I know this rescue cost a hell of a lot of money. My 4 children would pay that back in triplicate if they could and my parents would double that again. I will do all I can to repay the men and women and k9's that helped us on the mountain that night. My first step is to enter April 2013's Greater Manchester Marathon. All proceeds raised will go to the mountain rescue crews that helped us escape from the side of Ill Crag in the early hours of Monday morning. A small point I would like to raise is that maybe a little could be invested in increasing awareness of the dangers at Scafell. Before we ascended we called into the Inn at Wasdale and had hot drinks and stood at the bar with our back packs. The friendly geordie guy behind the counter exchanged banter about the mountain and I said we were worried about the time of day and the current climate. He said not to worry, the paths were clearly marked and we would be up and down by tea time. Now I'm not proportioning any blame. That rests entirely with us and our decisions that night. I am saying that increasing awareness at the main start points of the mountain, simple do's and don'ts and identifying the dangers would be more productive than the name calling and finger pointing that has followed. I met some genuinely special people during my time in the Lake District. I also met the odd hypocrite. Thanks you again from the bottom of my heart and from all my family and friends for what these guys gave and risked for us. I will do whatever I can to repay some of the financial debt but will never be able to repay the physical one. Sincerest regards, Dave Tate

An interesting response from the rescued chap and I'm glad they appreciate the trouble and cost of these rescues. Even more interesting that the mountain recue teams thought they were on Scafell Pike while the walkers thought they were on Scafell. Maybe that was part of the problem.

Dave, well done for providing your side of the story when most would have just kept quiet. The fells are there to be enjoyed by everyone but they can and do catch the unprepared, I hope the experience hasn't put you off and you can return soon (in better weather hopefully) to see the summit of Scafell. Good luck with the fundraising, yes, you won't cover the cost of the rescue but you are doing something positive. Folk will always criticise but quickly forget that a simple error while driving can involve police, fire, ambulance and often air ambulance which will cost as much if not more than a mountain rescue but we don't jump up and down at them to repay the cost and rarely see them commit to fundraising.
I understand your point about raising awareness but there will always be people out on the fells in trainers, or without waterproofs or the necessary map reading skills in spite of all the warnings.
Good luck with the marathon.

Well done on the post Dave, people really do not realise how things can go so easily wrong on the fells. It's not a question of insurance, it's a question of being prepared in the first place. Plenty of clothes, food, whistle, map & compass. People laugh at my little whistle and someone even once said "Well how's that going to help you". I've even walked with someone who wanted to use google maps when were were lost in mist. Also a lot of locals don't actually walk the fells and don't have a clue about timings etc either. Over estimate everything when planning a walk! Rather be well within comfort and enjoy it than end up miserable. Good luck for the marathon.

You've all missed out the bit about 'don't take a mobile phone' or 'don't use one until you absolutely have to'. Being wet and cold does not count. No-one was injured so they should have just kept walking downhill (follow the streams!) until they got to a road, which in this case would have been in Eskdale. Then they could have phoned for a taxi and paid for it themselves instead of asking the rest of us to pay tens of thousands of pounds.

Thanks to all on here and the other sites that have reported on this story. Even made Granada Reports tonight.

Anyone who's interested in donating to or, even better, joining the Scafell Massive fundraising team then please visit www.justgiving.com/s
cafell-massive (for donations) or http://www.justgivin
g.com/teams/scafell-
massive to join the team. We would love to hear from you.

I've taken on board all the comments, both negative and positive. I've put my name and face to the story and held my hands up to my mistakes. I will do everything I can to raise as much as I can for as long as I can.

Surely I'm not the first person to overstep their boundaries slightly and I'm sure I wont be the last.

Kind regards, Dave Tate

WilliamT wrote:
You've all missed out the bit about 'don't take a mobile phone' or 'don't use one until you absolutely have to'. Being wet and cold does not count. No-one was injured so they should have just kept walking downhill (follow the streams!) until they got to a road, which in this case would have been in Eskdale. Then they could have phoned for a taxi and paid for it themselves instead of asking the rest of us to pay tens of thousands of pounds.

We did follow the stream into a valley, that's why we got stranded. It didn't lead to a lake, it led to the marshy valley between Ill Crag and Esk Pike. I was injured. Not seriously but my ability to walk was hampered and serious climbing impossible. And if you read the articles spread around the net you'll have read the mountain rescue teams quote that we were at the furthest point from a road in that area. I would not have rang rescue unless it was totally necessary!

Regards,

DaveT

People get 'injuries' all the time when out walking in the hills- blisters, sprains, pains of one sort or another. That is the nature of the activity. The response to this is not to just lie down and use a mobile phone to hand the problem over to others at vast expense. There is clearly a disparity of opinion on what 'totally necessary' means.
Many a time I have got myself out of trouble, as have many others. My 12 year old daughter twisted her knee near the summit of Ben Nevis, and I was very proud that the she just soldiered on, walking painfully and slowly for several hours to the bottom. The expense of this 'free helicopter ride' culture will be unsupportable, and mandatory insurance will be proposed. It will take a very large number of 'charity walks' and hours work in charity shops to pay for this escapade, and there are many call-outs even less necessary than this one.
I don't need to read any daft internet articles, because I know where it is- keep walking downstream, and you get to a road. It's not that far and it's all downhill.

WilliamT wrote:
People get 'injuries' all the time when out walking in the hills- blisters, sprains, pains of one sort or another. That is the nature of the activity. The response to this is not to just lie down and use a mobile phone to hand the problem over to others at vast expense. There is clearly a disparity of opinion on what 'totally necessary' means.
Many a time I have got myself out of trouble, as have many others. My 12 year old daughter twisted her knee near the summit of Ben Nevis, and I was very proud that the she just soldiered on, walking painfully and slowly for several hours to the bottom. The expense of this 'free helicopter ride' culture will be unsupportable, and mandatory insurance will be proposed. It will take a very large number of 'charity walks' and hours work in charity shops to pay for this escapade, and there are many call-outs even less necessary than this one.
I don't need to read any daft internet articles, because I know where it is- keep walking downstream, and you get to a road. It's not that far and it's all downhill.

As I said. In the valley between Esk Pike and Ill Crag, there is NO MORE downhill. That's it! A Marshy Valley with a climb each side.

There is clearly no point in further discussion with this party, beyond the obvious statement that it's not Star Trek, the laws of physics do apply in the Lake District and the water is all heading south in the River Esk. There is no impassable Horrifying Marshy Valley with climbs on all sides, and there is PLENTY of downhill- about 320 metres of it over several kilometres down to the road.

ok my friend. As stated by the rescue team we were in one of the most remote parts of the district, as far from a road in their territory as we could get. As you said, no point in further discussion.

I've given my side, I'm trying to pay my dues and I'll let my effort do the talking. Time to leave the trolls under their bridges.