A GROUP of four 'young and inexperienced walkers' were lost for hours on Scafell Pike in bitterly cold conditions, with one of them struggling to walk. 

Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team described the weather as 'very wet, windy, cold,' peaking at -10C windchill during the six-and-a-half-hour call. 

The team received two calls in quick succession on February 28 at 3.08pm. Because one of the walkers was struggling, they made a full callout in case they had to carry a stretcher. The incident log stated: "They had seemingly mis-navigated in poor conditions off the summit and then lost the path."

The Mail: There was a -10C windchill during the callThere was a -10C windchill during the call (Image: Wasdale MRT)

Shortly after the party said that they were on the path and heading downhill in the right direction. However, there was no further communication to confirm their location or progress. 

READ MORE: Injured walker trapped on Scafell Pike for 24 hours

Team members started ascending the path to meet the walkers, but they could not find them. They were now concerned that the group had made another wrong turn so they called Duddon and Furness MRT to search Upper Eskdale and dispatched more members. 

"However, as one of the additional team vehicles arrived at the car park at Brackenclose, the group were found at their vehicle having made their own way down," the log states. 

"Somehow, they had managed to accidentally avoid team members going up the fell." Wasdale MRT described this as 'very good news' and the team warmed themselves back up again at base.