Derek Lyon

Life as a Lake District Voluntary Ranger can carry a lot of responsibility – but it has its lighter moments, too.

That was made clear by Derek Lyon, a warden since 1968, when he talked to Barrow Rotary Club at their meeting at the Lisdoonie Hotel.

He said all the Rangers are trained in first aid “but there are times when you hope you are doing the right thing.”

He told of going to the help of a young woman who had had a fall and her main concern was whether her broken leg would ruin her honeymoon. Another rescued walker seemed more concerned about losing his Rolex watch. Sadly on another occasion he gave CPR to a girl who had collapsed near Crummock Water but it was all in vain.

Mr Lyon explained how the Rangers would also lead guided walks, of various degrees of difficulty, giving people an introduction to the National Park. He told of one where walkers were ferried across the River Esk and on the return they would normally wade across the estuary on the Muncaster estate. On one occasion the tide was so high they had to use their boat, with the Rangers in the water, to get the people back. “How deep does the water get?” asked one woman walker. “Madame,” replied Derek, “I am swimming!”

He said less glamourous duties of the Rangers included building bridges across becks, litter picking and upholding the bye-laws on Ullswater, Windermere and Coniston, where they controlled speeding by powerboats, plus the curse of the tin foil barbecues that are discarded and burn the grass.

He was particularly pleased with the Rangers’ work in restoring the charcoal burning Duddon furnace. And he said playing a “casualty” for mountain rescue teams’ exercises could be “quite exhilarating.”

Picture shows (l to r) Graham Parker, Ed Elvish, Dennis Exley, Derek Lyon, Steve Murray, President Elect Alf Hadley.