Day 1 of Hill Skills Course
Parked by Cattle Grid SO 182 445 on the common used the features to provide practical teaching for navigation. Did a map orientation lesson by the road then followed the track to 336m spot height, repeated orientation by using compass. Headed to the field corner north of small pond. Did a paceing exercise along the fence line before asking first participant to head to 324m spot height, individual headed on wrong path and said that they were there after the correct number of paces. Individual was confused by additional paths that were on the ground but not on the map - good discussion on relocation and trying to make things fit, using compass to make sure of the direction, actual path was fainter than the one that was taken. Got the group back on track and taught the group the importance of sound navigational tactics i.e. like using handrails. Each member of the group took it turns to navigate a leg over the 373m and 381m spot heights including working out the best method to get to the destination. Demonstrated taking and walking on a bearing to boundary marked on map west of the big pond. Only one post remained of the boundary had a discussion about the reliability of man made features. Did the same to the tumulus then got the group to do bearing to the wall corner to the south, walked to the wall corner and then demonstrated back bearings to the group before each individual taking a leg back to the car. Also good discussion on impact of humans to the upland environment as we saw tyre marks from trail motorbikes on the common
Providing training for 3 clients
Area :
Black Mountains
The Black Mountains (Welsh: Y Mynyddoedd Duon) are a group of hills spread across parts of Powys and Monmouthshire in southeast Wales, and extending across the national border into Herefordshire, England. They are the easternmost of the four ranges of hills that comprise the Brecon Beacons National Park, and are frequently confused with the westernmost, which is known as the Black Mountain. To confuse matters further, there is a peak in the Black Mountains called Black Mountain.
