Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team

28/05/2026

Callout number: 41

Date: 26/05/26

Time: 11:10

Weather: Warm, sunny.

Location: Sale Fell

Type of callout: Full Call-out

Team members involved: 13

Duration: 2.5 hours

Description: CMRT was called out on Tuesday morning when a mountain biker fell whilst riding on Sale Fell and injured their hip.

A full call-out was initiated and the Team drove up to Kelswick Farm behind the fell, locating the casualty approximately 150m up the fell.

Initial examination verified that the individual had a significant hip injury, they were immobilised in the Team stretcher then carried to a waiting ambulance for transport to Cumberland Infirmary.

The Team wishes the casualty a speedy recovery.

27/05/2026

Callout numbers: 35 - 39

Date: 23 - 25/05/26

Time: Various

Weather: Hot, sunny

Location: Various

Type of callout: Full Call-out

Team members involved: 20

Duration: 12.5 hours in total

Description: Five call-outs over the bank holiday led to a busy weekend for Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team!

Call-out 35: A walker with a torn knee ligament on Haycock at 14:42 on Saturday. The Team made their way down Ennerdale, located the casualty on the summit, splinted the leg before Rescue 199 winched the walker for further treatment - 4 hours.

Call-out 36: Reports that a teenager had fallen into Scale Force at 12:30 on Sunday. CMRT made its way down to Crummock through significant congestion. Helimed 58 was also despatched and arrived on scene alongside the first Team members. The casualty was located in the beck, assessed then evacuated via stretcher to the waiting helicopter - 2.5 hours.

Call-out 37: A walker with torn quadriceps by Warnscale Beck at 15:15 on Sunday. The Team were still in the valley after incident 36 and headed directly to Honister. The casualty was quickly located and transferred to a stretcher. Rescue 199 then arrived, winched the individual on board and transferred them to Cumbria Infirmary for further treatment - 3 hours

Call-out 38: A walker suffering exhaustion on Rannerdale Knotts on Sunday at 15:50. Whilst the bulk of the Team were dealing with call-out 37, a third vehicle was despatched to Rannerdale where the casualty was quickly located and es**rted off the fell to their own vehicle - 2.5 hours.

Call-out 39: Dislocated shoulder at Rannerdale Knotts at 17:00. Whilst es**rting the casualty from call-out 38, another walker made themselves known with a dislocated shoulder, the shoulder was immobilised and they were taken on to hospital by their companions - 30 minutes.

22/05/2026

Callout number: 33

Date: 19/05/26

Time: 16:42

Weather: Overcast, very windy

Location: Honister

Type of callout: Full Call-out

Team members involved: 19

Duration: 3 hours

Description: received a call on Tuesday afternoon to a fallen walker above Honister. After further investigation it became clear the casualty was in Cockermouth’s patch and the job was handed over.

A full team call-out was initiated and CMRT made their way up to Honister Slate Mine and up the track to the Drum House.

The casualty was quickly located, they had injuries to their leg, arm and head which were treated in challenging conditions due to the high winds.

The walker was transferred the short distance to a Team vehicle before beig driven back down the track to a waiting ambulance.

The Team wishes the casualty a speedy recovery.

15/05/2026

Callout number: 29

Date: 14/05/26

Time: 14:19

Weather: Cold, sunny with showers

Location: Loft Beck

Type of callout: Full Call-out

Team members involved: 23

Duration: 3 hours

Description: The Team was called out on Thursday afternoon when a walker undertaking the Coast to Coast slipped and took a tumbling fall down Loft Beck, overlooking Ennerdale.

A full call-out was initiated with Team members approaching from both Honister and Ennerdale.

Initial details suggested a significant fall and potential head injury, as such a Helicopter was requested, fortunately Rescue 897 was training in the area and diverted to assist.

Rescue 897 was first on scene and provided an initial assessment. Thankfully the injuries were less severe than anticipated, but the casualty still had a back injury.

CMRT packaged the casualty and carried them to Rescue 897 for onward transport to the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle.

The Team wishes the casualty a speedy recovery.

This build on a busy week for CMRT, supporting Penrith MRT on Monday and a minor incident on Binsey on Tuesday.

15/04/2026

Callout number: 20

Date: 11/04/26

Time: 14:05

Weather: Overcast, windy

Location: Gamlin End

Type of callout: Full Call-out

Team members involved: 20

Duration: 3.5 hours

Description: CMRT was called out by a walking group who reported that one of their members had tripped on steep ground and broken their leg.

The incident had occurred on the steep lower section of Gamlin End on the shoulders of High Crag.

A full team call-out was initiated and whilst en route to the scene, the Team Leader requested a helicopter to support, given the location and the potential for a limb-threatening injury.

Due to very strong winds, Helimed 58 tried but was unable to reach the location and turned back. HM Coastguard Rescue 897, newly based in Carlisle, was then tasked instead.

The Team continued to make the steep ascent to Gamlin End and found the casualty with severe fractures of the tibia and fibula.

In difficult conditions, the Team administered analgesia, then straightened and splinted the lower leg.

By this time, HM Coastguard Rescue 897 had reached the scene, but was unable to assist due to the high winds and returned to their base, leaving the Team to make the long stretcher descent into Warnscale.

The casualty was then tranferred to a ambulance at Gatesgarth for further treatment and transport to hospital.

CMRT wishes the casualty a speedy recovery.

01/04/2026

Callout number: 17

Date: 30/03/26

Time: 16:50

Weather: Overcast

Location: Haystacks

Type of callout: Full Call-out

Team members involved: 22

Duration: 3.5 hours

Description: CMRT was called out on Monday evening when a walker fell badly on their ankle, with an audible ‘crack’.

A full team callout was initiated and the Team made its way down the valley and up the track at Honister Slate mine.

From Dubs Hut the Team approached on foot, locating the casualty just beyond Innominate Tarn.

The casualty was in good health apart from the painful lower leg injury. Team members administered analgesia before splinting the ankle and packaging the casualty in a stretcher.

Helimed 58 had been requested to assist with the evacuation, but was unable to find a suitable landing site due to the boggy conditions.

The Team therefore carried the casualty back to the vehicles, before heading down the mine track to hand over to a ambulance for onward transport and treatment.

CMRT wishes the casualty a speedy recovery.

01/04/2026

“Defacement of mountain bothy labelled a disgrace by local residents.” A group of industrious instagrammers have taken the concept of a room with a view too far. Over the course of last weekend, when most of us were sheltering from the rain, it appears a group of engineers from a university in the midlands were busy “improving” the view from the famous Warnscale Bothy, defacing the mountainscape beyond recognition in pursuit of clicks and likes.

Volunteers from Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team are making their way there to dismantle the grotesque monstrosity and to attempt to restore the bothy to its former rugged self. Team Leader Andrew McNeil stated “I’m all for a bit of instagramming and having barbecues on protected islands while flying drones, but things are getting out of hand around here. We can’t have people running amok, destroying masonry just for likes and dopamine. I’m not having it, not on my watch.”

Team members hope to have the building restored to its normal, grim state by the weekend.

*UPDATE - presumably by now everyone will realise that this is an April Fool’s joke. Thanks to you all for your comments and engagement! Hope we didn’t worry anyone unnecessarily! *

30/03/2026

Callout number: 15

Date: 29/03/26

Time: 10:40

Weather: Wet, windy and cold

Location: Sail Beck

Type of callout: Full Call-out

Team members involved: 20

Duration: 5 hours

Description: Cockermouth Mountain Rescue was called out on Sunday morning. Initial information was scant, but suggested one in a party of walkers had suffered a severe head injury by Third Gill alongside Sail Beck.

The full Team was promptly despatched and a Coastguard Helicopter requested to support extraction.

The Team parked at Newlands Hause and made their way on foot to the casualty’s location, fortunately despite the poor conditions the party was quickly located.

Fortunately, following an initial examination it became apparent the injury was much less significant than anticipated, however the weather posed a greater threat due to the cold, wind and rain.

Meanwhile, HM Coastguard Rescue 199 had arrived at Buttermere but was unable to get to the scene due to the weather.

The casualty’s group had split up to get help, and some were unaccounted for. CMRT dressed the walker’s wound, whilst this was being done, a quick search was coordinated to locate the rest of the party and es**rt them back to the shelter of Buttermere village.

The casualty was then packaged into the stretcher and carried back to a waiting ambulance.

The Team then returned to the scene of the incident to collect the considerable baggage left by the casualty and their party.

26/03/2026

Call-out number: 14

Date: 22/03/26

Time: 08:00

Weather: mild, low cloud

Type of call-out: Training/Full Team

Team Members involved: 22 (plus 5 from )

Duration: 3 hours

Cockermouth Mountain Rescue spent Sunday training around Pillar rock. There were three workshops:

Firstly, a medical session to refresh on of some of the analgesia we carry.

Secondly, a search exercise which included familiarisation of the technical ground in Great Doup.

And thirdly, understanding how best to access and cross and ascend the treacherous ground of Green Ledge and West Waterfall to the side of Pillar Rock.

Mid way through the training (at around 11:55) the Team received a call out to an injured competitor in a fell race near Buttermere.

As most of the Team and vehicles were down Ennerdale Valley, eight CMRT made their way to Buttermere supported by five .

The casualty was quickly located, their injury splinted and then transported to a waiting ambulance.

Meanwhile the bulk of CMRT had cut training short to provide back up if required.

21/01/2026

Thanks to Cumberland AC for some fantastic fundraising!

Cumberland AC’s charity for 2025 was Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team. On Monday evening, a few members presented them with a ‘cheque’ for £5,777.

Martin, chairman of CMRT said the amount raised was amazing and would be used to maintain their vehicles and update equipment. He and the rest of the team could not thank the club enough and each and every one of us.

We were treated to a tour of the base, which even has a climbing wall (Dan could not resist having a go!), and an explanation of the kit and equipment they carry to every call out.

A big thank you to Martin, Simon, Mike, Steve, Neil, Abigail, Gwyn and Daniel, and not forgetting Marty the search and rescue dog who of course got all the attention.
Thanks to them for the very warm welcome and good luck to Marty, who is off to the Cairngorms at the weekend to renew his avalanche search and rescue training.