Winter is Coming! Helvellyn Winter Skills Courses start from December
With winter 2018 approaching fast and ever greater numbers of adventurous hikers set to climb the Lake District peaks this season, now is a great time to book your place and join our Lake District National Park Fell Top Assessors on a one day Winter Skills course, reaching the top of Helvellyn under the guidance of their expertise.
The Fell Top Assessors
Pictures above (right to left) are the Lake District National Parks three unique Fell top Assessors, Jon Bennett, Graham Uney and the most recent addition to the team, Zac Poulton.
The assessor’s jobs involve different daily routes up England’s third highest peak, Helvellyn. Battling snow, ice and harsh winter winds, the assessors make the 950-metre trek up the peaks, taking readings and reporting on weather conditions and updating the National Parks unique highly used weather safety service known as ‘Weatherline’.
Did you know? A fell top assessor’s nine-day shift is equivalent to reaching higher than Everest’s summit. They 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.
Weatherline is designed to keep hikers, walkers and climbers safe in the Lake District over the colder months and is a very valuable service both online and on the phone.
One Day Winter Skills Courses
Our much-loved mountains and peaks here in the Lake District can be magical this time of year, providing a winter wonderland to be safely discovered with the right equipment and expertise. Helvellyn is consistently voted one of our most popular mountains, but at this time of year winter skills are essential and a must-have for any amateur explorer looking to embark on a winter adventure in the fells.
Our one day private and group courses run from December 2018 – April 2019. Skills you will master include the art of snowcraft (judging snow conditions and behaviour) as well as how to handle an ice axe, crampon use and general winter based mountain safety. The day promises to be strenuous, informative, challenging and of course lots of fun too.
More information on our Winter Skills courses and how to book can be found here.
New for 2018/19 – Private Courses and Christmas Gift Vouchers!
Private courses are also now available for anyone who is keen to improve their winter skills but would prefer to go up with the assessor privately or with a partner.
In need of the perfect Christmas present for a family member or loved one? Gift vouchers are now available for our private and group courses. The perfect present for those looking for a true Lake District adventure!
Follow us
With a large following of interested winter hikers following the Fell Top Assessors on Twitter @LakesWeather and an ever growing number of trekkers summiting Helvellyn. As popularity and trends rise, there is an ever-growing need for the important work by the Lake District National Park’s unique three man mountaineer team to monitor and report on mountain conditions and asses the fell tops. Don’t forget to follow us online and stay up to date with the very latest weather reports and more. #summitsafely
More info on Winter Skills and how to book a course can be found here.
Date: 09 Nov 2018