05/01/10 Rescue of motorists stranded on Kirkstone Pass Location: Kirkstone Pass
The team were called by the Police to rescue two people stranded in a car in deep snow on the Kirkstone Pass. The couple, from Edinburgh were on the way via Patterdale to a hotel in Windermere. They were following directions from their GPS which had routed them over Kirkstone.
With continuing snow and low temperatures, together with high winds causing significant drifts – there is now very deep snow across the roads in the high passes such as Kirkstone. The road is signed as closed, but this was missed by the couple and they continued up the road until the car became stranded. They then phoned 999 and the Police subsequently asked the assistance of the rescue team.
Team members were able to reach the vehicle using one of the team’s landrovers, though while trying to find a simple turning point, even this was stopped by the deep drifts from getting any further up the hill. Eventually, the couple were transferred into the rescue vehicle and then brought back to rescue base in Patterdale. Following an interview by the Police, they were then taken to a local hotel.