The injured walker is winched into the helicopter. Photo: Aberdyfi SRT

A walker was airlifted to hospital after suffering a head injury on a Snowdonia mountain.

The woman, in her 40s and from Anglesey, was crossing the summit plateau of Cadair Idris on Saturday when she slipped and hit her head.

Aberdyfi Search and Rescue Team, which was alerted to the incident shortly after 1pm, said the woman had been walking between Penygadair and Mynydd Moel at the time. “She was bleeding profusely, and both the casualty and her partner were anxious, cold and wet,” a team spokesperson said.

Team members made their way up the mountain and also requested the help of the Caernarfon Coastguard helicopter.

The spokesperson said: “The aircraft took off to support the rescue, but was unfortunately forced to turn back by poor weather that had shrouded the mountains in cloud.

“Having reached the injured woman on foot, team casualty carers determined that she was unable to walk off the mountain. She was placed in a casualty bag on a stretcher to try and keep her warm, as the team prepared for the prolonged and very difficult stretcher carry down to Minffordd.

“As the stretcher party started to descend the main slope of Mynydd Moel, there was a hint of slightly improving weather conditions, and once again helicopter assistance was requested.

“This time the aircraft was able to reach the mountain, but the cloudbase meant that it could not quite reach the stretcher party. The crew landed the aircraft nearby, giving rescuers the chance to move a little further down the mountain, before they took off and winched the casualty aboard.

“The injured woman was flown to Ysbyty Gwynedd for further assessment and treatment.”

Graham O’Hanlon of the team thanked the crew of Rescue 936, the Coastguard helicopter. “Without the repeated attempts in difficult conditions by R936 to assist this rescue, the team faced a long and very challenging carry down the mountain in the dark.

“As it was, rescuers had been attending this incident for seven hours, and without the airlift it would have continued for a fair number more.”

The rescue involved 32 team volunteers and ended at 8pm.