ADDITIONAL safety measures are to be put in place on England’s highest mountain to warn walkers of an ‘extremely dangerous location’.

Increased signage and other interventions will be built at Piers Gill on Scafell Pike to lower the risk of visitors mistakenly taking a wrong turn into the dangerous ravine.

Piers Gill is a deep cut gill that the corridor route crosses and is extremely hazardous because it comprises of a series of waterfall climbing pitches.

The intervention comes following multiple accidents and deaths occurring at the junction on the descent from Scafell Pike.

The National Trust and conservation project Fix the Fells, in consultation with the Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team (MRT), discussed the challenges and risks associated with mountain rescues when walking the route from Lake Head car park up to Lingmell Col and across to Piers Gill earlier this year.

As a result, the three teams say they will now build a memorable cairn on the left side of the junction on the way down from the summit, opposite Lingmell Col at the point where it meets the path towards the Corridor Route.

A sign urging people to turn back will be placed after turning into Piers Gill, which will be out of sight from the Corridor Route, so not to confuse walkers.

In addition, large stones will be laid where the route crosses the head of the gill and lower down in the valley, more information relating to safety on the fells will be placed at the exit points of the major car parks and areas from which visitors tend to begin their ascent.

These include the areas of Lake Head, Wasdale Green and Seathwaite in the Borrowdale Valley.

Finally, information, leaflets, compasses and maps will continue to be available from the welcome team at Lake Head car park.

Wasdale MRT say walkers are for ‘unknown reasons’ taking the more hazardous route down the gill bed (stream bed) from the Corridor Route on the descent from Scafell Pike.

They advise that the only path down is on the east rim of the gill, which they say, even then goes very close to the edge and has a rock step.

(Image: Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team)

(Image: Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team)

(Image: Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team)

John Bamworth, chairman of the Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team, said the action is needed due to his volunteer teams ‘having to respond to increasing numbers of rescues in extremely dangerous locations’.

Mr Bamworth added that ‘tragic outcomes’ had occurred from what he described as ‘simple navigation errors’.