Dow Crag, scene of two callouts for the Coniston team. Photo: Rob Noble CC-BY-SA-2.0

Mountain rescuers in the Lake District pleaded with hillgoers to be realistic when choosing their routes after a scrambler was rescued after getting stuck on a Lakeland crag.

The man was with a companion yesterday at the northern end of Dow Crag above Coniston when he became cragfast.

Coniston Mountain Rescue Team was called out at 2.45pm and 17 volunteer members went to the site, west of the Old Man of Coniston.

The pair were roped up and helped to the top of the crag, from where the rescuers escorted them, uninjured, off the fell to the team’s base in Coniston.

The rescue was the team’s third callout in as many days.

The previous day, the rescuers were called by a walker stuck on Dow Crag. The man was coming down the gully of South Rake. A team spokesperson said: “Not long after the first group was deployed the man contacted the team again to advise he had now managed to get himself to a place of safety and the team was able to stand down.”

On Saturday Coniston MRT was involved in a search for a missing person following suggestions that he might be in the Coniston area and was at significant risk.

The spokesperson said: “The team sent a small party onto the hill to check areas where the man might have been while other members checked remote car parks in the area looking for the person’s vehicle, without finding any trace.

“The team was stood down mid-afternoon and the man turned up safe and well later that evening.”

The spokesperson added: “We would like to remind walkers and climbers that the fells and mountains remain in full winter condition.

“Preparations should bear this in mind, with ice-axes, crampons and the ability to use them being essential alongside realistic route planning based on ability and experience.”