Walker's Death Underlines Need For Caution
The sad death of a walker in the Peak District last week emphasises the need to be properly dressed and prepared on high ground in winter conditions.
Posted: 13 January 2005
by Jon
A cautionary bit of news for anyone underestimating the potential
seriousness of winter conditions on high ground at the moment,
particularly in view of the current series of storm-force winds and
heavy rain, with the sad news of the death of a 43-year-old walker in
the Peak District last week.
Peter Henshaw, 43, from Barnsley set out to walk from Torside in
the Longdendale Valley to Edale last Wednesday morning following the
Pennine Way across Bleaklow. As a Huntingdon's Disease sufferer, he
apparently didn't feel the cold and was under-dressed for the
conditions, the BBC reports that he had no maps or food with him.
When he failed to return home, the police were alerted and local
mountain rescue teams began a search that ended on Saturday with the
sad discovery of Mr Henshaw's body near Yellowslacks above Glossop.
He appears to have died from a combination of exhaustion and
hypothermia. Conditions on Saturday were so bad that the doctor
called out to confirm the death was himself put in an emergency tent
halfway to the body.
It's a very sad and slightly unusual story, but underlines the
need to be properly prepared for winter walking even in less
mountainous terrain. Our sympathies to Peter Henshaw's friends and
family.
BBC
story here.
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