Outdoor Training

Mountain Skills

To the inexperienced, the mountains can be a daunting place with their sheer drops, steep slopes, raging rivers and changeable weather. This course will teach you how to recognise problems and dangers before they affect you and how to cope with them should you still encounter them. We will introduce you to basic mountain navigation, steep ground tactics, how to recognise changes in the weather, basic mountain first aid and what to do when things have gone badly wrong. After this course you will be well equipped for your very own mountain adventure.

Upcoming open sessions:

None at this time

Any pre-requisites?

You should have recent hill walking experience and have a basic understanding of navigation. You should be reasonably sure-footed as a large proportion of the course is spent in complex and steep terrain.

What will you learn?

Recognising hazards and avoiding them
Planning a good day out in the mountains
Keeping you and your friends safe
Basic mountain navigation
Basic mountain weather
Steep ground and basic scrambling
Mountain wildlife and flora
Basic first aid and emergency procedures

What can you expect?

On day one your instructor will meet you in a popular walking car park for introductions and to plan the day ahead. Usually this day is spent looking at route planning, navigation and covering steep ground. Depending on the levels of experience in the group this may change at the discretion of your instructor. During this mountain journey you will be faced with, discuss and tackle a number of hazards that are typical of the British mountains under the watchful eye of your instructor. Over lunch you will be discussing weather forecasts and how to spot changes on the day. The day continues with more steep ground and other hazard work before returning back to the start for a debrief and a short planning session for the following day.

Day two will usually involve a more realistic mountain journey as opposed to the "hazard finding" day one. During the journey, you will implement the strategies and skills you have acquired on day one and work together as a group. Usually day two will involve a summit or two and breaks will be taken up discussing emergency procedures, basic first aid and other mountain related topics. Your instructor will share their extensive knowledge of the upland environment with you, aiming to open your eyes to the small details and beauties that nature places in our tracks. After you return to the start your instructor will provide you with honest feedback on your skill level and recommend further training or experiences that may suit you. This is not intended to be a sales pitch, rather an opportunity for you to have your skills validated by an experienced Mountain Leader.

What do you need to bring?

You will need standard outdoor gear including warm layers, waterproofs and sturdy boots. We will be providing all necessary safety equipment and ropes to practice with.

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What do our difficulty values mean?
	Suitable for beginners with little or no previous knowledge and experience. For walking activities you should be able to walk at a slow to average pace continuously for 30 minutes.
	Suitable for intermediates with basic knowledge and previous experience. Walking participants should be able to walk at an average pace continuously for 1 hour. Climbing participants should be able to pass a belay test and/or demonstrate good bouldering practice.
	Suitable for those competent at and comfortable with the basics of the activity. Walking participants should be able to walk at an average pace and ascent rate continuously for 1 hour. For mountain activities, you should be a little sure-footed and not hugely afraid of heights, as activities may include short sections of exposure and steep ground. Climbing participants should be able to comfortably and competently top-rope grade 5 climbs or boulder the equivalent.
	Suitable for experienced participants with above average fitness and knowledge. Walking participants are expected to be able to walk at an average pace and rate of ascent continuously for 1 hour over broken terrain. For mountain activities you are expected to be sure-footed, have a moderate head for heights and be happy with longer stretches of moderate exposure. Climbing participants are expected to competently lead climb/belay and climb grade 5 indoors (or the equivalent boulder grade).
	Suitable for very experienced participants with high degrees of fitness and above average knowledge of the basics. Walking participants are expected to be able to walk to Naismith's rule (3-4km/hr + 1min/10m ascent) steadily for long periods of time over broken and complex terrain. For mountain activities you are expected to have a good sense of balance, be sure-footed and happy with long stretches of, at times severe, exposure. Participants are expected to show high levels of competence and self-sufficiency in their disciplines.

Our current private course price list:
For the prices listed here, we deliver a private booking just for you, on your chosen date and time. Where practical we will deliver the booking in your chosen location, though any areas outside of our usual operational areas may incur extra travel costs. We will let you know should this be the case. You will receive a full breakdown of costs with your quote.
Scrambling	£180 for the first 2 participants, £45 for each additional participant	A significant portion of the day is spent scrambling in complex, rocky and steep terrain.
Mountain Walk	£180 for the first 4 participants, £45 for each additional participant	Most of the day is spent walking in the mountains, though short sections of scrambling and steep terrain may be encountered.
Hill Walking	£170 for the first 4 participants, £25 for each additional participant	Days involving no possibility of scrambling and encountering rocky or steep terrain.
Lowland Walking	£160 for the first 6 participants, £20 for each additional participant
Beginner Navigation	£390 for the first 4 participants, £75 for each additional participant	2 days learning the fundamentals of navigating with map and compass.
Intermediate Navigation	£410 for the first 4 participants, £100 for each additional participant	2 days intermediate navigation, learning to navigate off path and across open countryside.
Advanced Navigation	£360 for the first 2 participants, £120 for each additional participant	2 day advanced navigation course learning to navigate in mountaineous terrain and remote countryside.