Our Team Leader Garry Rhodes and his partner Ann Thompson (also a team member) this weekend had some rare time together away from the team and Garry’s responsibilities as Team Leader, but part of it turned out to be a Busman’s holiday!

Staying in North Wales for the weekend, they decided to take advantage of the excellent weather (blue skies, and warm temperatures) on Saturday to walk the classic ridges of the Ogwen Valley.

Having ascended Tryfan by the North ridge and then Bristly ridge, they were about to descend Gribin ridge when they literally stumbled upon an accident near the start of the ridge with a Sea King rescue helicopter having just dropped off a winchman and equipment.

Descending a mere 100 feet, Garry and Ann offered assistance to the winchman who was dealing with a young woman who had fallen from the ridge sustaining various injuries. Two of her companions were also in attendance with the Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Team also having been called to the incident.

The helicopter from ’C’ flight, 22 squadron, RAF Valley then returned to drop off nearby two Ogwen Valley MRT members. Garry and Ann, along with the two OVMRT members and the two companions of the injured woman then assisted the winchman in loading the injured woman onto the helicopter basket stretcher, at which point the helicopter returned for a dramatic winch from high up on the side of Gribin ridge.

Garry, Ann and the two OVMRT members then walked down to the Idwal tea shack with the rest of the woman’s party which consisted of University students (coincidentally, the father of the woman involved is also in a Mountain Rescue Team!)

So you see, even when Garry gets away from the team, without even trying he can stumble across an accident.

(This has not been recorded as a Bolton MRT incident within our incident figures. Garry and Ann had a pleasant and much quieter day on a woodland and beach walk in Criccieth the following day – they kept well away from the Lifeboat station!)