Mountain Skills
Become an independent mountain walker
The aim of the 2 day Mountain Skills course is to equip you with the knowledge and confidence to be an independent mountain walker in the UK and Ireland. We welcome those with all sorts of experience - from people who have little or no experience in the mountains but want to get out and explore, to those with years of experience who want to refresh their understanding.
Although this is not a leadership course, it is an excellent foundation for teachers and youth leaders wishing to support young people on their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expeditions.
On the course you will cover:
- Planning a mountain walk, including where you are allowed to go and how to judge terrain and timing.
- Navigation using a map and compass, both on and away from paths.
- What to pack when heading into the mountains.
- Understanding weather in the mountains and coming up with a ‘plan B’.
- Handling emergencies.
- Nature and the environment in the mountains.
- Movement over steep ground and simple scrambling terrain.
This course is accredited by Mountain Training. On completion you will receive a certificate.
To make a booking please get in touch via email or via the Mountain Training website, accessed via the dates below.
Dates
31 May - 1 June 2025 - Kentmere (Lake District)
11-12 July 2025 - Kentmere (Lake District)
If you have a group of 2 or more people and want to arrange your own course on dates of your choice, please get in touch.
How it works:
The course will be 90% outdoors in the mountains, covering the skills as we go and allowing you plenty of time for practice. The aim is for the days to be a relaxed, friendly learning environment where you can ask questions of your instructor and fellow participants.
We will start each day at an indoor venue (unless the weather is exceptionally nice) where we will cover the plan for the day, discuss what kit we are taking, and look at weather forecasts. There will be a variety of maps to look at covering the area, and some group kit to discuss.
Aside from the course content, we will of course be spending two days on excellent local mountain routes, so a fine opportunity to explore if you don’t know the area well.
Your instructor:
Alex is an International Mountain Leader, Summer and Winter ML. He spent many years working solely in the outdoors in the UK and on overseas expeditions, and has either led or done personal walking in (nearly) every hill and mountain region in the UK, in all seasons. He has led groups of adults and children on a variety of trips from mountain challenge days in the UK to month-long expeditions abroad. He is also a qualified secondary school biology teacher and has organised outdoor education for a school for several years.
Refund policy
You can cancel your booking more than 14 days in advance and receive a full refund.
Cancellations between 2 and 14 days will incur a 20% fee to cover administration and planning time, though the full cost can be moved to another date for no extra charge.
Cancellations within 2 days (48 hours) cannot be refunded, though 50% of the cost can be transferred to a separate date.
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