On Saturday, a group of hikers in England’s Lake District became lost, and a rescue crew said magic mushrooms were to blame.
Not to imply that the rescuers were criticizing the hikers. Intoxicated hikers are always helped by the “doughty men and women of Keswick mountain rescue,” as The Guardian described them. They pass no judgment on individuals the team aids, whatever the reason for their suffering.
The all-volunteer rescue squad was called to the Lake District National Park due to reports that several young males were having problems after ingesting psilocybin mushrooms.
Two of the group’s members appeared to be in such bad shape that several other walkers dialed mountain rescue out of worry for their safety.
Eventually, eleven volunteers located the “disoriented party” and helped them descend the fell.
“A number of calls were received via passersby, who had come across a group of young adult males who had taken magic mushrooms. Two in the group were feeling unwell, including the driver in the party. The casualties were walked down and given advice by the team medic regarding the timing of their onward travel,” a report of the callout says.
Onward travel” in this context perhaps refers to the amount of time it would take for the hallucinogenic mushrooms to leave their bodies.
This makes it the group’s 24th rescue of 2023.
Despite being so crucial, the rescue organization depends solely on contributions and volunteers.
According to their Facebook page, in just two days they assisted a mountain biker with a fractured leg, an 11-year-old with an ankle injury, a climber with an ankle dislocation, and a climber with head injuries from a six-meter fall.
In 2022, there were only four days when rescue teams weren’t dispatched to assist someone in need.
