UKH

Any help would be appreciated………………
Last Monday I was leading a group of 12 young scouts up Scafell Pike.
On the descent at about 14:30 I heard a lady cry from below Lords Rake. I agreed with my team that I would pop over to help out if possible.
After about an hour of talking to her husband who had descended to get help, myself and another chap called “Dave” continued to climb up and help her and the 10 month old dog she was determined to hold on to, get down from the crag for which she was clinging to.
During this process I gave her tea and my jacket to wear as she was clearly shaking.
When we got down and I shook the hand of her husband I explained she was obviously cold and scared but when she returns to the bottom can you please let me have my jacket back, as I had to run back down to catch up with my scouts group…….
I gave him a business card with my Name, Email and phone number expecting him to offer my jacket back at some point.
7 days later I have heard nothing, no call, no letter and most importantly no £210 jacket!
Does anyone know of this couple, I only know her as “Helen” and the dog was a 10 month old sheep dog.
I’d like to think that they have lost my details rather than they have chosen to take my jacket.

Any help would be appreciated

In reply to Big Mountain Man:

Nice one for helping them out, have bump!

In reply to Big Mountain Man:

a similar thing happened to me , i got my kit back from a Glenridding tourist information centre, I talked with them and mountain rescue, between them it came back, although i did feel uncomfortable asking for it back.

In reply to Big Mountain Man:

Similar thing happened to me on Scafell Pike some years ago. Was up there with my daughter, and what had initially been a nice day came over cold and windy very quickly. There was a couple up there and the female of the pair was just wearing shorts and a crop-top. No kit.

I lent her my fleece, as I had a shell jacket too and was quite comfortable whereas she was freezing cold and not at all happy. Daughter and I were going down via the Corridor Route, but we sent them off down Hollowstones, asking them to drop the fleece off at the Wasdale Head campsite shop.

Nada.

In reply to Big Mountain Man:

Bump

In reply to Rob Naylor:


Terrible story, Rob, and as for whoever stole your stuff - I hope their bits drop off. (And I hope you get your stuff back, Big Mountain Man).

In reply to abseil:

Cheers guys - I have spoken to both mountain rescue and tourist information, I'm hoping, as I clearly mentioned I work for the Scout Association they may just post it to head office in London..............long shot I know.

Mountain rescue were very kind but explained its not the first time this has happened.

In reply to Big Mountain Man:


What you did was in the very best traditions of climbing and outdoor life - so sorry that you seem to have suffered such an expensive loss for it.

In reply to Big Mountain Man:

Good on you, Hope you get it back

In reply to Big Mountain Man:
She was there again yesterday, somebody else gave her a jacket...

In reply to Big Mountain Man:
Shame there's people like that about(if they've nicked it) They don't deserve to be able to go on the hills.
Any idea where they were from? If so you could perhaps name and shame them in the local rag. Just a thought.

In reply to Big Mountain Man:

What a bummer! I hope you get your kit back anyway.

I carry a thin plastic bivvy sack on the hill, rather than a full weight orange bag. I've made one into a long gillet for a cold walker before now by poking through holes for arms & head. You can get them from Caving Supplies in Buxton. They're about £3ea.

In reply to Big Mountain Man:

What a shitter! A selfless act, just rest on the fact you did a good deed. Some people simply do not think like decent people.

For what its worth, i have a load of old outdoor clothing to donate to the scout group if you think that would return a little karma to the situation?

In reply to Oogachooga:

Thank you - I work at the National Center in the lakes rather than for a specific unit. Thank you for the offer anyway. As a rule the Scouts, Guides and young people come to the center with the appropriate kit. I'm sure your local group would appreciate any donation of clothes, kits etc for those kids who do not have their own.

In reply to blurty:

Yeah good idea, I'll take that on board. I did actually have a blizzard bag and a bothy but as she was struggling to even lift her arms through fear I thought a jacket was more conventional

In reply to mypyrex:

I don't really want to get into a "slagging off" the inexperienced as we have all made mistakes and I guess I'm still holding out for them to return from their holiday and realise what they should do. But I only know they where from the Essex area.

In reply to Big Mountain Man:

If they are on holiday, they may not have the materials etc to wrap up your jacket and return it to you with them. They may be intending to do so when they get home, so 7 days is not a big delay in such circumstances. Give them a few more days before thinking the worse.

Good on you for what you did.

In reply to Big Mountain Man:


Fair enough but, in the mean time lots of brownie points for you action.

In reply to Big Mountain Man:

Bad news.

It always amazes me how people treat other people who've helped them out.

A number of years ago I gave my jumper to a bloke who's leader had slipped of and she landed on him. He was shivering and shaking, it wasn't a very warm day, but I reckoned I could do without my jumper for the rest of the day. I gave him my business card and another to his climbing partner before the helicopter took then off to hospital.

I got his details from another of his party in the pub that night (luckily). After not hearing anything for a month or so, I emailed him, after a couple of attempts. He sent my jumper back, it was unwashed and covered in dog hairs!!

Good luck with your jacket.

In reply to krikoman:




What a tosser!

In reply to Big Mountain Man:

Have a bump. I am sad to hear that, but at least you did the right thing. Unless it was staged by the victims and it's not their first time doing this, which I hope it's not true! You can try local police too as victims might have returned it to the police as "lost and found".

I hope the jacket did not have too much sentimental value. I once lost a film camera (paid 15 quid) with nearly full film of photos from that trip while I was hitch-hiking round the Europe for 19 days. I also lost 100 pounds worth tent while hitch-hiking (many years now passed and I still have no idea how). I forgot about the tent a month later, but still regret for not losing nearly all photos!

In reply to PPP:
Managed to lose a camera in Arches National Park. Reported it at Ranger Station. Arrived home in UK a month later and it had been found, handed in, identified from my description of the last few photos and posted straight back to me. What a lucky feller I am. The rest of the road trip was, unfortunately, photoless. I am a bit more careful now, with my camera.

In reply to Big Mountain Man:

My husband found an ice ace and managed to trace the owner. He came to pick it up with a nice bottle of wine. Thinking what a nice climbing community we all are in, and on learning he was on his way up to Scotland, my hubby lent him a guide book and wrote his address in the front cover to return to us,
.....we never saw it again!

In reply to mypyrex:

Yes, he was and a bit of a wimp too, he had some bruising, while his partner, who was making a lot less fuss than he was had a broken collar bone.

Still it hasn't dented my faith in human kindness.

In reply to Big Mountain Man:
Ambleside MRT were very good many years ago, I was descending Jack's Rake after a climb and we heard and saw a party in distress after a fall on Crescent Route. We got to them and used our ropes to secure them and gave them our spare clothes. MRT and RAF attended and eventually got them off the mountain, with about £500 worth of our kit.

The MRT got the kit back from the RAF, Carlisle Hospital and the casualties and got a team member to deliver it to me in person a couple of weeks later.

In reply to The New NickB:

What date was this? I think we were maybe involved with the same rescue... we came up from below and secured and looked after the seriously injured climber who fell furthest... never met those who, came down from above and secured her partner (who was clearly in shock).

In reply to The New NickB:

I have no idea what is wrong with people.

I lent my windproof to a guy locked out of his car after the Tour De France stage in Yorkshire while he waited for a spare key to arrive, also gave him a drink and some food, I had to chase him twice for the jackets return, just arrived in a bag, no thanks, nothing, not even a bag of jelly babies !!

In reply to krikoman:


Ah, the basic principal of first aid. Those yelling the most are in least need of attention ;o|

In reply to Dark-Cloud:
Jelly babies do make the ultimate thank you! A few years ago know we were up on Ben Nevis walking up to do Comb gulley when we saw a lad take a fall on the cascade. He'd peeled off and left an ice axe and three or four screws on route. I think he then tried to climb back up but was too tired. We offered to climb the route and get his gear. They had to catch a train or something so we told them where we had pitched our tent and that we would get the gear and post it. When we got down to our tent they had left their address, £20 and best of all a packet of jelly babies!

In reply to Offwidth:

It was the same incident, we have discussed it before. August 1999.

In reply to Big Mountain Man:

So over two weeks on.....................
No call
No Email
No text

So I'm going to write off the jacket and my faith in humanity?!?

In reply to Big Mountain Man:

So sorry to hear that

In reply to Big Mountain Man:

Blighters, toerags, tossers.

In reply to Big Mountain Man:

Carry a pound shop polythene poncho next time, and give them that.

In reply to Big Mountain Man:

That is pretty jack. The reward for being a good samaritan.

In reply to Big Mountain Man:
Sorry to hear of this.
Are you now short of a mountain jacket, or do you have a spare?
Got a TNF karakorum sat in the loft.
It's 1996 and yellow, but you can have it if you need it.

In reply to Dell:

Get one with "Fail to prepare - prepare to fail" emblazoned on it...

In reply to Big Mountain Man:

The world is not full of SH1T.s
Around 1980-82 Two climbers climbing in Wilderness gully Chew Greenfield ended up back at chew brook, avalanched.

I was out with full kit including sleeping bag on the day.
I went down with the first stretcher, leaving the second guy wearing my mitts and being dug out.
I had given Mr Braithwaite, Tut much ££££££££££ for the mitts, keen to get them back I phoned Oldham hospital was put through to a ward and in time a voice thanked me for the lone of the mitts, and said he was on the mend, & that he has seen to it that the police in Uppermill had the mitts and I could get them from the station.

I still have them.

In reply to Big Mountain Man:

Sorry to hear that, that really stinks. Have you thought about posting the details on Facebook, it's surprising how things travel?

In reply to Big Mountain Man: Did you contact your local police station, as already suggested by a couple of posters? Per google's story, the folks you helped may indeed have lost your details, in which case leaving your jacket with the police once they were safely off the hill would have been a sensible course of action.

In reply to Dave the Rave:

Cheers Dave, no I'm not short of a jacket thank you.

In reply to Martin W:

Yes, I'll give them a call now - Which station would it be for Wasdale?

In reply to Big Mountain Man: No idea I'm afraid. I assume the force would be Cumbria Constabulary. Their web site is http://www.cumbria.police.uk/ but I'm not sure whether that is at all helpful in this situation.

I'd suggest you call the UK-wide police non-emergency number 101 and see what guidance or assistance they can offer.

In reply to Martin W:

Well, it’s only right I give an update………………

5 weeks ago I received a text message:
“Hello it’s the couple who you lent your jacket to after you helped my girlfriend and dog of scar fell. Could you please send me your address so we can send it back”

As I was now leaving for India I responded from the airport:
“Really? Wow……..Id written it off. Please send it to”

They responded, “No problem will get it sent this week”
On returning from 4 weeks in India NO JACKET!
Thinking it was a wind-up text I text them back asking if they had posted it, they responded:

“Not Yet, will be sending it tomorrow”……….5 weeks after their initial promise
I received my jacket today, 3 months after lending it out.

Although I am very happy to have received it back I am stunned to think this is a genuine attitude towards someone who would help you out.
No “Thankyou” on the text, no “apologies” for the delay nothing

Views?

In reply to Big Mountain Man:

Now that you have your stuff back perhaps it's time to lent them know exactly how you feel.

In reply to Big Mountain Man:

It'd be best to be gracious, understanding and forgiving about the whole thing and to not let it colour your decent view of the world.

But stuff that.

I'd send them a message, laden with sarcasm, which went into raptures about the return of the jacket - and only three months after having loaned it to them, which is no time at all, given the trouble you put them to in having to walk to the post office with, what, three quid in their hands. Perhaps a chapter on the empty shell that your life has been since the jacket left it, and round off with the observation that the return of the jacket was recompense in its own right, and that if they'd bothered to say thank you - or even apologise for the non-delay in posting it - it would have been too much for your bursting heart to cope with - so a big thank you to them for having the understanding not to thank *you*. Perhaps even a few lines on how the tears of joy are making it hard for you to type.

And bless them, with all of our hearts.

(But I suspect you're a much better man than me, and will just chalk it up to experience)

In reply to Big Mountain Man:

Say something provocative on this thread which sparks off a good old UKC thrashing of them, and send them a link.

Once upon a time I would have suggested writing a letter but it's 2015. . .

Andy

In reply to Big Mountain Man:
What goes around comes around. Move on, smile about it and know that you were the better person. They are irredeemable turds and will have a life that reflects that.

In reply to L.A.:

Maybe. But then again there's no justice. (There's just us.)

To the OP: Glad you got your jacket back, sorry the people you helped were such a couple of pricks about it but good on you for doing the right thing. Hope it won't deter you from helping someone who needs it (and is hopefully a bit more considerate & appreciative) in the future.

In reply to Big Mountain Man:
Lovely kind gesture in the true spirit of the hills, but unfortunately some people just don't deserve it.

One February many years ago, we were decending back down into Lost Valley in Glencoe in bad weather, and met a group of three staionary climbers. None were exactly well equipped but one was sat on the ground in just a sweater and cag shivering badly. I also noticed he had a front tooth missing and was bleeding slightly from a cut lip and cheek - he'd slipped and fallen face first.

So I lent him my duvet jacket, and after adiministering some first aid and ascertaining they were OK to get back down, we headed off and I arranged for him to give me back my duvet in the Clachaig that evening.

Later that evening in the Clachaig I saw my duvet being worn by someone else? When I asked him where he'd got it from, he somewhat indignantly asked why it was any of my f*cking business?

When I explained it was mine - pointing out the tear on the right arm patched with gaffa tape - and explained the situation that had occurred in the Lost Valley, somewhat embarrassed he told me he'd bought it off someone at Glencoe Youth Hostel two hours earlier for 30 quid!

He was very understanding and gave it me back straight away, and stormed off to try and find the guy I'd helped who'd sold it him.

An hour later, the guy I'd lent it to walked in bold as brass and headed to the bar. When I confronted him, he just grinned and shrugged his shoulders. A few seconds later he had 2 missing teeth, and I was barred for the second time by big Ian Nicholson.

I never did find out if the poor guy who bought it got his money back?

In reply to Big Mountain Man:

Why not post their details on here and see what happens? Rage thread will deliver. This btw is a bad idea.

In reply to Big Mountain Man:

you did the right thing in helping out, but never lend and thing you can't afford to lose.
Be it a copy of Carter USM's 101 Damnations on vinyl, or a paperback copy of Greg Bear's Eon.
No, I'm not bitter.

Anyway, jacket returned, group hug, time to move on.

In reply to Big Mountain Man:

The people in the OP need a plain message informing them that they are ill-educated and ill-mannered; they might even learn something from it.

I have lent cash three times and never got it back, once was to the now-notorious fraudster Andrew David Gradon from Co. Durham who hangs around European airports scamming people for cash. In future if asked by a stranger for a loan of any kind I will simply smile and reply: "Sure! How much would you like? And what will you give me as surety? Your mobile and all your credit cards ought to do!"

In reply to johncook:


A dead easy way to increase the chances of your camera being returned in any eventuality; take a photograph of your contact details and never delete this image. You could tailor a message along the lines of "If found, please contact...."

In reply to Big Mountain Man:

I'm really shocked by this couples behaviour - if you know who they are I think you should name and shame.

Personally I would never part with gear or clothing to random strangers that I couldn't afford to lose unless death was a possible outcome!

A friend of mine lent a jacket to a girl on the Ben who had a fall and was rescued. It came back in the post eventually, all covered in blood. Incredible.

In reply to Big Mountain Man:

Out mountain biking in Lancashire I found a phone, quite a good one. So when we reached the pub we called the "Mum" number on it and asked her to pass on the message that we had left the phone with the barman.

But before leaving it we nipped round the back and left the owner a couple of "souvenir" photos.... ahem....

In reply to Shani:

Quite agree, just snap the details and protect the image.

keep the card with contact info handy though for when eventually you have to reformat the card, and then re-shoot and again protect the image.

I don't buy hugely expensive cameras , so it is usually just the cards I am concerned about losing, but of course having a card with contact info on it , in an expensive camera is another chance of getting a lost camera back.

In reply to Big Mountain Man:

I'll share a good experience to even out some of the staggering bad ones above-

I was in Iceland and on the transfer bus back to the airport, I left my wallet which had about £100 in it. I didn't realise until I was through into the gate. I wrote it off immediately.

You can imagine my surprise when it arrived in the post a week later (thanks to a bit of paper with my address I always had in the wallet), courtesy of the bus driver. All the money was there and he'd even sent a few books about Iceland and it's geography, along with a note saying he hoped I enjoyed my time there. Amazing!

In reply to Big Mountain Man:

I had a very similar thing happen to me - I witnessed a car crash and one of the drivers was sat on the side of the road. I lent her my gortex jacket as she was freezing and waited until police etc came. At that point I agreed with her mum that they could drop my jacket off where I work a mile down the road later that week. Took me months to get it back and eventually the traffic policeman who dealt with the accident made them return it.

He did say it happens all the time

Such a sad view of the world some people have!!!!!

In reply to Jim C:


A simple idea - yet someone has down-voted this suggestion. Got to love UKC!

I normally just take a photo of any letter that comes to my house that is addressed to me and make sure it is the first shot on the camera.

In reply to Shani:

Maybe someone thought it wasn't such a good idea. What if the battery of the camera is flat/camera is damaged and the finder doesn't have access to a computer/card reader?
Maybe the finder doesn't want to trawl through some random's holiday snaps with the off chance of finding the owners address. I know someone who took over 900 photos in a week in Japan, would you want to look through that?
If so concerned about loss perhaps just stick a label on the camera.

In reply to gethin_allen:



Above all, this isn't an either/or. You can do several things to mark your kit (although labels suffer wear and tear and as I said, I make the first photo an 'address' photo so it is easy to find).

I guess it all comes down to how much you value your photos over and above your camera. For me I'd rather get the photos back more than the camera.

I hope my DownStalker continues his work....

In reply to Shani:


Personally I think people are too concerned about the up/down votes thing.
If you are -15 and counting then maybe be slightly bothered but if one or two people don't agree with you what's the problem?
As the saying goes, opinions are like arseholes, everybody has one. And by their nature they won't all be the same.

In reply to Shani:

I had to oblige (but it wasn't me!)

In reply to Siward:

Siward and Gethin, have a like guys!