A pair of idiotic hikers had to be rescued from Lake District peak Scafell Pike in awful winter conditions in December – but then failed to pay their hotel bill and pinched gear
Hiking twits who scaled Scafell Pike in “treacherous” winter weather have been slammed by a mountain rescue team – who say they pinched their gear and then failed to pay a hotel bill.
The idiotic pair had to be plucked “wet and hungry” from high on the 3,200ft Lake District peak overnight on December 29 and 30.
Saved from potential hypothermia in a seven-hour mission on England’s highest mountain, it was Wasdale Mountain Rescue team’s last “avoidable” call-out of 2025.
The bar manager of the Wasdale Head Inn stayed up late to provide the men with snacks and let them stay in a room with a 35% discount after their ordeal.
But three weeks later the bill is still unpaid and two head torches lent to the careless duo are still missing. The pair also failed to say thank you to anyone and pushed for a further hotel discount as well as breakfast when they woke in the morning.
“We avoid judging those we rescue,” the team said in a statement on Facebook. “But we struggle to understand when the rescued take advantage of hospitality provided by our supporters in the valley.
“Disappointingly, in the morning they offered no thanks for the efforts of the hotel, asked for further reductions to the cost, pushed hard for a breakfast and asked if they could arrange transport to get them out of the valley.
“The answer was, sorry no extras and please transfer money when you can. Sadly there has been no payment to the hotel of the £130 outstanding room cost or thank you to Steve. Neither did the telephone number given to Steve work.
“This post will hopefully prompt the two young males to settle their debt using the QR code and return the head torches.
“They might also reflect on the kindness they were offered that night by the staff at the Wasdale Head Inn and our own volunteer team following their eventful visit to Cumbria.”
In the Facebook post, the rescue team said they felt obliged to repay the hotel for the duo’s stay. But in a massive show of generosity, followers donated £2,500 in response.
The rescue team is made up of unpaid volunteers and costs £100,000 every year.