New Fell Top Assessor Lands 'Dream Job'

The latest Helvellyn Weatherline fell top assessor assessor is about to start work climbing the mountain on a daily basis to provide information for the regular Weatherline conditions report from the Lake Dstrict National Park Authority.

Jon Bennett, 34, has left a career in hotel management - and latterly as an information advisor at the Lake District Visitor Centre at Brockhole - for the daily trek to the 950-metre summit of the mountain, a task he'll share with fellow fell-top assessor, former Marine commando Craig Palmer on alternate weeks.

 Fancy doing this seven days a week?
pic by Mark Waker

Jon, who originally comes from Buckinghamshire, but now lives in Ambleside reckons he's landed his dream job.

"I've got extensive experience winter mountaineering, both here and in Scotland, have backpacked in the Swedish Artic, regularly paraglide and am a keen cyclist - on and off road," he said.

"I am also interested in the science and effects of weather conditions. Carrying all the recording equipment up Helvellyn isn't going to be a problem as I'm used to having 15 kilos of paragliding kit on my back."

Jon starts his new job at the beginning of December and the Weatherline service, which has been running for 33 years and is used by half a million people a year, will run from December through to Easter.

You can find the Weatherline service at www.lake-district.gov.uk/weatherline or call 0870 055 0575.