Introduction to Hillwalking Courses - £125pp

2 day course (not including accommodation)

Now well established as part of the GPS Training program our Hillwalking Courses will teach you how to navigate the hills more safely whatever the weather and give you the confidence to be more adventurous & plan your own expeditions to our hills & mountains.

Our course includes:
  • Day 1 - On the Hill Tuition - all the Hill Skills
  • Day 1 - Which GPS Presentation (Late Afternoon)
  • Day 2 - Develop Hill & GPS Skills
  • Compass & GPS Loan if required
  •      Waterproof Maps covering training area
  • By not including accommodation in the price of the course we offer you the option to choose either to attend on a daily basis or to stay at the course venue the course fee for both days is £125.00 (acc not included)
  • All our venues offer great value for money accommodation, single rooms if required with a choice of B&B or B&B with Evening meal. If you need more help re accommodation or would like to book the course and accommodation just call the office and we will be happy to book both for you although you will be asked to pay for your accommodation directly the venue in question.
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Who should come on this course?

If you have travelled to areas like Snowdonia, the Lake District or the Highlands of Scotland and looked up at the hills and thought “I wish I had the confidence to go up there”, then this course is for you. Maybe you have been happy to venture up a well-trodden track on a bright summer’s day, but now want to explore ‘off the beaten track’, and get away from the crowds, perhaps when the weather is not quite so good. Basically if you want to go higher and wilder than you have ever been before, then this course will give you a solid grounding in the essential skills for navigating and being safe in upland areas of the UK and abroad.

What does it cover?

We firmly believe that there is no single correct way to navigate your way around the hills. Every situation calls for a different approach and you may or may not have the backup of a GPS device. So our aim is to give you a portfolio of effective techniques - using the map on its own, using the map in conjunction with a compass, and using a GPS if you have one. The bulk of the course takes place ‘on the hill’ so you will practice these techniques and learn how and when to apply them in real situations. Then, to squeeze as much into the short time we have, we combine this with small group sessions ‘back at base’ looking at preparation and planning, using both paper maps and digital mapping applications, equipment and clothing, and what to do in an emergency.

What will you be doing?

People learn best by doing. So you will spend the two days in a small group, probably of six or seven, with an experienced tutor. On the first day after introductions there will be a short session covering the essentials of map and compass navigation and the equipment and clothing you need on the day. Then you and your group will be out ‘on the hill’ practicing those skills and learning the basics of using a GPS (you will be supplied with map, compass and GPS if you don’t have ones of your own). That afternoon we will look back over the day, cover any issues raised and then plan the next day using both a paper map and a digital mapping application. Out on the hill again the next day you and your group will execute the route you have planned, this time with you making more of the decisions, but always under the guidance of your tutor. Back in time for tea and biscuits, we will once again debrief and follow up any questions you may have.

What navigation skills will you learn?

The key skills for navigating in the hills are map reading, compass navigation and GPS – very definitely in that order. This is not an advanced GPS course and we wouldn't’t expect you necessarily to want to buy or use a GPS when you go on your own hill-walking outings.

What we will show you is how to:

  • interpret the map and relate it to your surroundings
  • work out where you are using the map alone, using a compass, or with a GPS
  • make decisions about where to go using a variety of map and compass and GPS techniques
  • know what to expect as you walk and estimate how long sections of the route should take
  • retrace your steps or follow an escape route

As far as GPS is concerned, we will demonstrate its benefits as a simple backup system to traditional navigation (as indeed it is used by the vast majority of experienced hill-walkers). Whether you decide to buy a GPS or learn more advanced techniques on a further course is entirely up to you.

Will it be hard work?

Yes, you will learn a lot and the outings will be fairly physically demanding, because it is so much more effective to learn in a real situation than in a classroom or on a flat field. But it will also be good fun. We have picked places to stay and eat where you will be well looked after. We know that your tutors and hosts are congenial and we trust that your fellow participants will be too!