Six candidates seeking to become members of Keswick Mountain Rescue Team were put through their paces in the annual hill assessment day.
The point of the day is to test possible new team members in the fells to ensure they have the necessary experience, fitness and skills required to look after themselves and not be a burden to the team in the often inclement conditions volunteers are often required to go out in.
Once again the weather co-operated, with the candidates facing challenging conditions with persistent snow and limited visibility.
They were split into three groups and were accompanied by existing team members to take different routes up into Combe Gill in the Borrowdale Valley with a rendezvous at Combe Door at 4.30pm. This year the candidates had a later start to add the challenge of operating in night conditions.
The candidates were tested on movement over steep ground, navigation and decision making over ground that is typical of the team’s normal area of operation.
As night fell and the snow continued to fall and pile up underfoot and navigation became even more difficult. The six pre-probationary team members all seemed to be comfortable in this environment, successfully navigating to all points including getting team members safely off the hill.
The six will now be invited to attend training evenings over the next three months to get to know members of the team and to see what being a rescuer involves.
