On-path Navigation Skills for Hill walkers
Our Navigation Courses in North Wales and the Lake District are all about helping you develop the skills to get safely and efficiently from A to B, wherever your adventures may take you.
Description
If you think about learning to use a map and compass you probably think back to a stuffy school geography lesson, getting lost in the cloud on a hillside, or being confused by all the map symbols and contour lines.
Navigating using a map and compass is becoming a lost skill. It’s another victim of the tech revolution. Phone apps can be useful but all have some inherent problems for the navigator to overcome. Data connections, dangerous automatic route calculations, flat batteries and missing mapping information can all cause us to become lost or worse.
But it doesn’t need to be that way.
Our navigation courses are for all abilities and will help you understand how to use paper maps and compasses to find your own adventure. From exploring your local woodland paths to heading out into remote mountains.
Who is this for?
Our entry-level course is designed to help you get to grip with the basics of using a map to follow paths and tracks to get from A to B.
It’s ideal for you if you have a limited understanding of maps and you’ve never really used a compass to navigate, if you want a refresher of the basics, or if you are a bit nervous about your own ability.
If you already have some navigation experience you may find our Mountain navigation course more appropriate.
Location
We run this course in the Lake District, Snowdonia and Staffordshire. Check out the available dates below. Full details are sent out in the joining instructions
Dates
13th Jan 2022 – Cannock Chase, Staffordshire – 10 places
10th Feb 2022 – Cannock Chase, Staffordshire – 10 places
25th Feb 2022 – Snowdonia, Llanberis – 10 places
28th March 2022 – Lake District – 10 places
Private bookings are available throughout the year
Dates in green have enough people and are guaranteed to run
Dates in red need one or more bookings to run
Further dates in 2022 will be added shortly. Watch this space or drop us an email to be the first to hear.
Booking
Booking is essential for all our courses. Contact us using the contact form, by email or call 01902 595 855 to book your place today.
FAQs
This is aimed at people who have experience of hill walking or mountain walking with a moderate level of fitness. You should be used to being on your feet all day and being fairly active.
Due to the nature of the terrain we will be walking up and down steep ground at times but the pace is largely set by the group. If are not sure, use the details on the right of this page to contact us.
For courses involving navigation skills you will need:
- Map – OS map Relevant to the area. Exact details will be in joining instructions.
- Compass – Silva type 4 is the best, make sure it’s in degrees – https://amzn.to/3COka6S
- Pocket notebook and pen/pencil – Useful for taking any notes during the day. Please not there are no handouts on this course.
- A watch or stopwatch – used for measuring the time walking
- Rucksack – 20-30 litres should be enough to hold all of your kit for the day. Include a waterproof liner to keep your kit dry
- Waterproof Jacket and Waterproof Trousers – These are essential regardless of the forecast as the weather can change quickly.
- Suitable Trousers/shorts – Lightweight and quick drying. (Jeans are unsuitable for this activity.
- Clothing – Suitable to the season and always include a fleece or other warm clothing. Bring a spare jacket just in case you get cold.
- Gloves to keep the fingers warm and maintain movement.
- Hat – Warm hat for the winter season, sun hat for other times of the year
- Sensible footwear – waterproof walking boots with a good quality sole and decent ankle support.
- Drinking water and bottle – You will need to carry 1 to 2 litres of water and this can be in any suitable container you have
- Packed lunch – bring some food to keep you fuelled up throughout the day
- Personal medication – e.g. EpiPen, Ventolin, Insulin, paracetamol, hayfever tablets,
- Torch & spare batteries
- Whistle – Also in case of emergencies
- Survival bag – It’s useful to carry one of these whenever you are in the hills. Orange plastic ones are ideal.
Optional items
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses
- Gaiters
- Fully charged mobile phone
- Snacks
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Private Tuition
Can’t find what you are looking for? Why not hire a mountain leader for some private instruction on a date that suits you.
We can provide instructors to teach you navigation skills, mountain skills, wild camping or take you on an adventure at a time and place to suit you.
Contact us or call 01768 259 830 today to start you next adventure
Navigating in the Mountains
