Award Description
The Hill & Mountain Skills scheme is a great way to develop your personal skills and confidence in all elements of hill and mountain walking. From planning a coastal walk to navigating in complex terrain, these courses are an ideal opportunity to learn the basics and enjoy the countryside. THIS IS NOT THE HILL AND MOORLAND LEADER SCHEME.
Your course tutor Dave Lyons will meet you on the Saturday morning in the centre of Ambleside. The first hour of the course will be spent over coffee reviewing and discussing the clothing and equipment that we are taking out on the days walk. We will then walk up into the hills around Scandale covering bite sized pieces of the syllabus as we walk and stop at appropriate places. Weather permitting we will summit Red Screes before returning to Ambleside for around 1700. We will then get coffee and cake and complete another two hours 'classroom' based work that focusses on the planning of routes. You should be free from 1900 to go and eat etc. On Sunday morning we will head up onto the Fairfield Horseshoe where we will practice our navigation skills and spend some time developing our skills on steep ground. We will then finish back in Ambleside at 1700. The following is the syllabus that we will be covering. If you have any questions please feel free to email dave@lupineadventure.co.uk or call him on 07905 868 192.
Planning: Overview of the mountain walking areas of the UK and Ireland, Use of walking guidebooks and online resources, Route planning, and Health and fitness considerations for mountain walking.
Walking Skills: Walking techniques and additional equipment, Managing pace for a day walk, Nutritional considerations for mountain walking, and Movement skills over steep or loose terrain.
Clothing and Equipment: Mountain clothing overview, Footwear selection for mountain terrain, Equipment selection and functions, Seasonal differences in clothing and equipment selection, and Additional emergency equipment.
Weather: Effect of weather in the mountains, Obtaining a mountain area weather forecast, and Effect of weather on mountain route planning.
Navigation in the Mountain: Use of different maps and scales, Map features and symbols, Measurement of distance on maps, Calculating walking time in mountainous terrain, Use of Grid References, Pacing and timing in mountainous terrain, Introduction of basic use of GPS devices in mountain areas, Methods of relocating in mountainous terrain, Compass selection and features, and Poor visibility navigation strategies.
Environmental Knowledg: Understand the impact of humans in mountain areas, Gain an understanding of the mountain environment, Environmental considerations when mountain walking, Ethics associated with mountain walking, and Understanding the role of different organisations related to hill walking.
Hazards and Emergency Procedures in the Mountains: Identifying potential hazards in mountainous terrain, Managing risk while mountain walking, Gaining an understanding of common mountain walking incidents, How to call for help while in mountain areas, and Introduction to the role of Mountain Rescue teams.