Two Friends Rescued After Getting Lost on Lake District Fells

Two friends who went walking separately in the Lake District were rescued within hours of each other after becoming lost on the fells around Haweswater.

Penrith Mountain Rescue Team was first contacted by Cumbria Police at around 3.55pm on Wednesday, 28 October, after a man became lost in thick fog along the High Street ridge. He had reached the summit cairn on Mardale Ill Bell but was unsure how to find the route back down.

Rescuers initially struggled to contact the walker because of poor mobile phone reception. A small group of team members began making their way uphill to locate him and help him descend safely.

Before the rescuers reached him, the man managed to get in touch with the team and explained that passing fell runners had directed him towards the Nan Bield path, which leads down to Small Water. Six rescue team members met him at the bottom, and he was brought to safety after an operation lasting approximately 90 minutes. He then returned to his car to meet his friend.

However, the situation took an unexpected turn when the first walker discovered that his friend, who had been walking on a different route, was also missing. Several telephone calls revealed that the second man was lost somewhere in the fells around Haweswater as darkness fell. A second rescue operation began at approximately 5.30pm.

The second search proved more challenging because the missing walker had limited navigation equipment and could not clearly establish his position. Although rescuers were able to speak with him by phone, determining his precise location required extended discussions and a coordinated search across a wide area.

Penrith Mountain Rescue Team deployed its full team, with 25 members involved. Eight members of Keswick Mountain Rescue Team also joined the operation, while a Coastguard helicopter was requested because of the size of the search area and concerns about the risk of hypothermia after the man had spent an extended period outdoors.

Further telephone conversations helped narrow the search to the fells west and south-west of Haweswater, around Kidsty Pike. Search teams were redirected, and the Coastguard helicopter eventually located the walker just north of Kidsty Howes. He was winched aboard and flown to Mardale Head, where mountain rescue volunteers were waiting.

After being checked by a mountain rescue team doctor, the second man was confirmed to be safe. He was reunited with his friend, and the pair were able to make their journey home. The second operation lasted around six hours, involving more than 30 mountain rescue volunteers across the two teams.

Penrith Mountain Rescue Team thanked the Haweswater Hotel for its support and hospitality during the incident. The two callouts highlight the difficulties walkers can face when fog, fading daylight and uncertain navigation combine in the Lake District’s upland terrain.

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