Mountain Skills Training

Enjoy walking in the Lake District fells and want to explore more but lack the confidence or experience to set off on your own? Not sure about how to plan your own day out, what to do when the cloud descends and what to take with you in your rucksack?

These and other questions can be answered for you and your family/friends in a day’s practical training which will give you the skills and knowledge to strike out on your own- safely.

I like to plan each day to suit you- according to your level of experience. While on a hike we will work through some scenarios, learn simple but essential navigation skills and discuss choice routes as well as choice of kit etc. I think it is important not to overpack the day with technical navigation training that you won’t remember and rarely use. There will be some map and compass work and I shall get you to think about terrain, contours, hazards and the like but mostly we will be discussing how to have a great day out.

From experience I find a day of six hours is normally more than enough to get you feeling more confident and ready for your first venture. The learning never stops. As part of the preparation you will receive some fact sheets, learning points for the day, a kit list and some useful references for more supporting information.

It is always wonderful to hear back from people post training who have now started their own personal mountain journey:

“Just wanted to send you a note to say thank you again for the great day out on Crinkle Crags.  I’ve been looking at that skyline and wishing I could explore it since I first started coming to the Lake District. Now, not only have I been up there (amazing!), I have more confidence and some skills that will help me make that round and navigate others on my own.

I really appreciated your patient guidance on matching the map to the observable features, and using the compass and step counts to figure out where I was and where I wanted to get to. You increased my independence by encouraging me to “go and take a look” and suggest the way myself instead of just telling me where to go. I also enjoyed the wide-ranging conversation and the knowledge of the area that you shared along the way. You’re an engaging and interesting guide and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend you to lead a mountain walk and/or to provide expert navigation instruction.”  Elizabeth

Please feel free to get in touch with any queries:

billmumford@cairnstones.uk

07467 513656