A 30-YEAR-OLD man tragically died after falling several hundred feet while scrambling on a Lake District mountain, an inquest heard.

Samuel Robinson had been enjoying a spontaneous trip to the national park when he suffered fatal injuries at Lord's Rake, Scafell, on October 6 of last year. 

"Sam's passion was walking and mountains," wife Elizabeth told Cockermouth Coroner's Court. 

"Sam was like a mountain goat. He had no fear and he would constantly go and scramble."

She described her late husband as a 'funny, cheeky character' who was 'a very caring person'.

"He was someone who was always worrying about everyone else," she said.

The inquest heard that Mr Robinson last spoke to his wife over the phone at around 10.30am on the day of his death. 

"Sam said that he had started walking and it was a beautiful day," said Mrs Robinson.

"He was in good spirits."

Reports from other walkers later helped to paint a picture of what happened.

Louis Gallagher was on his way up Scafell Pike. He told the inquest he heard rocks falling and then saw a person tumbling down the mountainside. 

"The body came to rest in a crevice about 200 yards above me," he said.

Mr Gallagher said he tried unsuccessfully to reach Mr Robinson. He shouted to the injured party and reported hearing a low murmur.

Harry Emblem was descending when he heard rocks falling.

He carried on walking and later saw Mr Gallagher in a 'frantic' state trying to climb up the rock face.

The emergency services were called. Euan Gibson, who was duty winchman aboard a Coastguard helicopter from Prestwick on the day, told the hearing Mr Robinson, who died at the scene, had come to rest on a ledge in a tight gully.

The post-mortem revealed Mr Robinson, an engineer who lived at Farningham, Kent, had died of severe head injuries.

Concluding, Dr Nicholas Shaw, assistant coroner for Cumbria, said: "We have taken that he wasn't wearing a helmet but, given the distance that he appears to have fallen, the helmet may not have saved him. However, that will remain an unknown.

"He died doing something that he loved, doing something in a part of the country that he loved, but that can be a small comfort."

Dr Shaw ruled Mr Robinson's death was misadventure.