December 2, 2024

New recruits summit Helvellyn for first day on the job as Fell Top Assessors

Two new recruits join the Fell Top Assessor team climbing the Lake District peak every day until Easter

Today, two new Fell Top Assessors have completed their first summit of Helvellyn as part of the Lake District National Park Authority team.

A service now in its 37^th year, Fell Top Assessors make the 950-metre climb up the peak every day between December and March to provide important weather updates, helping keep winter walkers informed and safe.

This year is the first season for newly recruited Paddy Cave and Jim Evans, who join Zac Poulton in his 8^th season.

One of the Fell Top Assessor team will climb Helvellyn every day from now until Easter, including Christmas Day, to give ‘boots on the ground’ daily weather reports of conditions, which can be accessed on the WeatherLine website: https://www.lakedistrictweatherline.co.uk/

Paddy, Jim and Zac today ascended the peak to take weather readings including average windspeed, maximum wind gust, air temperature, wind chill and wind direction.

Weatherline reports, coupled with the weather forecast, are essential reading for anyone heading out for winter walking.

Zac Poulton, Fell Top Assessor, said: “The Fell Top Assessor reports are a key source of information for helping people stay safe on the Lake District fells through the winter months.

“Conditions can regularly change rapidly and can be as challenging as anywhere in the world with storm force winds, blizzards, driving rain, poor visibility and white outs. Even the spectacular blue sky days can be challenging with hard snow and ice underfoot requiring crampons and ice axe for safe travel.

“We endeavour to create an accurate and easily understood picture of conditions on the high mountains to assist walkers, skiers and climbers in making good decisions when planning their adventures. Combined with the National Park and Mountain Rescue’s ‘Be Adventure Smart’ initiative the aim is to increase people's enjoyment and safety in the hills.”

Jim said: “As a member of the Ambleside/Langdale Mountain Rescue Team, I see first-hand the serious incidents that can occur if the appropriate precautions aren’t taken.

“Our message is simple, we want everyone to be prepared and safe, and to remember there’s no shame in turning back if conditions aren’t right – the fells will still be there the next day.”

As well as providing the important Weatherline service, Paddy, Jim and Zac will deliver Winter Skills Courses throughout the season, guiding people up the mountain to teach the skills of snowcraft needed for winter walking in the fells and mountains of the UK.

If you would like to book a Winter Skills Course with one of the Fell Top Assessors, please visit the Weatherline website: https://www.lakedistrictweatherline.co.uk/winter-skills-courses

Caption: [L-R] Jim Evans, Zac Poulton and Paddy Cave measure wind speed and temperature on the first day of the winter season launch 2024.

ENDS

Notes to editors

For further information and interviews with Fell Top Assessors, please contact Lauren Wise, PR and Digital Media Officer at the Lake District National Park: lauren.wise@lakedistrict.gov.uk or 07557 290 497.

Fell top facts:

• The three fell top assessors work alternate shifts to make the 950-metre walk up Helvellyn every day during the winter, including Christmas day
• 2017 marked 30 years since the first full-time Fell Top Assessor was hired
• In addition to being lucky enough to take in the breath-taking views every day, the assessors brave the rain, snow and wind chill as low as minus 16C to record temperature, snow depth, wind speed, underfoot conditions and assess risks, including potential avalanches
• The online service helps protect the Lake District’s 19 million visitors and local people from conditions that can change rapidly and fatally on the fells
• Although Helvellyn is not the highest peak in the Lakes, it was selected as it is the most popular fell and has a large east facing headwall that retains the snow and ice
• Assessors’ reports are combined with Met Office mountain forecasts to give the fullest possible picture.
• The fell top assessors are kitted out in 2024/5 by La Sportiva for clothing and boots, and Petzl for ice axe, crampons, helmets and head torches by Petzl, ensuring they have the right gear to #SummitSafely

More information about the National Park can be found on our website www.lakedistrict.gov.uk

In July 2017, the Lake District National Park was awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site status in the cultural landscape category.

The Lake District is one of 15 National Parks. The others are Bannau Brycheiniog (formerly Brecon Beacons), the Cairngorms, Dartmoor, Exmoor, Loch Lomond and Trossachs, Northumberland, North York Moors, Peak District, Pembrokeshire Coast, Eryri (formerly Snowdonia), the Yorkshire Dales, the Broads, the New Forest, and the South Downs.