Members of Penrith Mountain Rescue Team were described as being “worth their weight in gold” by a walker they helped off a Lakeland fell.
The team turned out on Sunday to help the female walker and her husband, who had lost their bearings above Hartsop, to the south east of Ullswater.
The rescue volunteers received a message around 6pm that the two walkers were unsure of their location, in low cloud. The team quickly assembled and headed to Hartsop in two vehicles.
They were able to maintain contact with the lost couple by mobile phone and reassure them that help was on the way.
The walkers were located near Threshthwaite Mouth, helped back to the path and guided down the hill.
One of the pair had a sore knee and, in order to shorten the distance they had to walk, one of the team vehicles was driven up a track to carry them back down to their car.
Nine team members were involved. After cleaning their vehicles and equipment they headed home at 11.45pm.
They were thanked for their efforts by the rescued woman, from Sunderland, who said: “We are experienced walkers but with the weather change the frozen fog came down so quickly it stopped us in our tracks. We had gone off track and were unsure of the safest way back down.
“All the team were amazing and it was such a relief to have them guide us back down. They are worth their weight in gold and we will be eternally grateful.”
The incident would normally have been dealt with by the Patterdale team, who cover the Hartsop area, but they were refreshing their winter skills in Scotland.