Striding Edge and Helvellyn. The felltop assessors provide vital information for walkers

Two men are gearing up for a four-month project that will see each of them climb almost the height of Everest every other week.

The Lake District’s two felltop assessors work alternate weeks walking to the top of England’s third highest mountain to get accurate weather information for hillwalkers.

Jon Bennett and Jason Taylor will make the daily journey to the summit of 950m (3,117ft) Helvellyn to assess wind and temperature readings, along with observations on ice and snow conditions. The Lake District National Park Authority describes the men as the park’s eyes and ears.

The information is used on the authority’s Weatherline, available both by phone and online.

The men are bracing themselves for arctic conditions after battling some of the harshest weather for 25 years last winter. Mr Taylor’s first week in the job last January saw him battling one-metre-deep drifting snow, avalanche risks and a wind-chill of –16C.

Jason Taylor: 'All in a day's work'

But Yorkshire-born mountain guide Mr Taylor, who now lives at Newbiggin-on-Lune, said: “It’s all in a day’s work.”

He has worked from Bhutan to Bangladesh and Iran to India, and said while national park mountains look incredibly beautiful, conditions could be treacherous.

“Hail or shine, people should always check Weatherline before heading out on the hills,” he added.

Mr Bennett, from Ambleside, worked as a hotel manager before taking up the potential lifesaving role with a daily mountain ascent.

He said: “I’ve done a lot of winter mountaineering, both here and in Scotland and backpacked in the Swedish Arctic. I am very interested in the science and effects of weather conditions.

“For me, fell top assessing is the perfect job.”

The fell top assessors’ daily reports run from 4 December to 8 April and can be heard by phoning 0844 846 2444 or read on the Weatherline website.