The 30th anniversary of the Lake District National Park’s Fell Top Assessors is clearly something to celebrate, but the weather service is older still.

The then National Park Wardens, later Rangers, were putting out weather notices at the key access points to the fells by the early 1970s.

The Rangers, on a rota, assessed the underfoot conditions and added this information to the sheets and to the telephone weatherline.

I think I am correct in saying this early essential mountain service was the forerunner for all mountain forecasts currently available in the UK.

Peter Farrand

Ranger Coniston 1979 to 1988

Kendal