The Lake District’s fell top assessors season has begun.
Every day – including Christmas Day – one of the three-strong team will climb Helvellyn so they can provide a detailed ground condition report for walkers.
In a year marked by unpredictable weather patterns and an autumn that’s seen four seasons in one day, the Lake District Fell Top Assessors, now in their 36th year, play a key role in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of winter walkers.
Jon Bennett, Zac Poulton and Wes Hunter work on a rota and will brave the rain, snow, and wind chill as low as minus 23°C to record temperature, snow depth, wind speed, underfoot conditions and assess risks, including potential avalanches.
Helvellyn was chosen as it is the most popular fell and has a large east facing headwall that retains the snow and ice.
The assessors’ reports and a Met Office forecast are combined to help give walkers the fullest possible picture in a daily online update.
Jon, the Lake District’s longest serving assessor who is now in his 16th season, said: “We provide easy to understand ground conditions reports to allow people to make informed decisions as to whether they want to venture out in the higher fells, stick to the lower routes or sit by a fire in the valley!
“We share daily photos to give a clearer picture of the conditions and offer safety advice throughout the season including what equipment and experience might be required to make a safe ascent.
“We say it every year but the most important message we need to get out there is that if the conditions are not great, then the best advice is to simply turn around and head back down to safety. The mountains will always be there the next day.”
