The summit of Barf, with Skiddaw in the distance. Photo: Shaun Ferguson CC-BY-SA-2.0

A walker was stretchered from a Lakeland fell after injuring his ankle.

The 64-year-old man was with a group walking on Barf today when he suffered the injury.

Keswick Mountain Rescue Team was called out about 11.45am and 11 volunteer members of the team were involved in the operation on the 468m (1,535ft) hill overlooking Bassenthwaite Lake.

A Keswickl MRT spokesperson said: “From the initial information, it appeared that the casualty was quite close to the top of Barf, so the first Land Rover approached the scene via Whinlatter Forest.

“However, it turned out that he was in fact 100 metres vertically below the summit, and in between two rows of crags.

“This necessitated some re-arranging of resources. Equipment and personnel traversed in through the scree and heather, while the vehicle drove round and down to The Swan at Thornthwaite.

“The location was above a very loose and steep gully. The casualty was loaded on to the stretcher, and then the team lowered it down the gully in relays, changing belay points and dodging the occasional trundling stone.

“Once down to The Swan, the casualty was transferred to his friend’s car, and taken to hospital for further treatment.”

The rescue lasted almost 2¾ hours.

It was the second callout to the fell in a week. On Saturday, a woman walking on Barf with a companion had a panic attack on the scree path up the fell.

The spokesperson said: “The team mobilised one vehicle, but a team member who lived nearby reached the pair, and was able to assist them off the hill back down to the road.”

The incident was over in a little over half an hour.