The green fingered activities of two conservationists prompted a false alarm for Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team yesterday.
Around noon, the team received a report that two people and a dog were stuck on the Helvellyn headwall — an extremely steep area with no footpaths and normally only accessible by climbers.
The concerned walker who raised the alarm had been descending Swirral Edge in wet weather when he saw the two people and their barking dog high up on the headwall. The walker observed them for about 15 minutes and became increasingly concerned as they were not moving and did not respond to him shouting to get their attention.
Two team members walked up to investigate and as they headed towards Red Tarn they met two men and a noisy dog.
It turned out the pair worked for the John Muir Trust, a conservation charity, and had been on the headwall planting rare Arctic-alpine plants.
A team spokesman said: “We like a good ending! The John Muir Trust do great work looking after Glenridding Common, re-establishing rare plants and mountain woodland species as well as loads of other conservation work.”
