This course is aimed at honing your navigation skills and equipping you with the tools and techniques needed in demanding conditions. By the end of the course, you should feel confident that you understand how to plan and follow any route in the hills, even in demanding navigational situations.The emphasis is on expanding your range of tools and techniques so you’re equipped for the most challenging navigational conditions you might encounter in spring, summer and autumn conditions.
- Refresh of navigational fundamentals
- Choosing and using appropriate navigational strategies
- Planning routes
- Thinking about ‘course’ and ‘fine’ navigation
- Accurate compass work in demanding conditions
- Advanced techniques such as ‘Aspect of Slope’ and detailed contour interpretation
- Advanced relocation strategies
- Introducing other navigation tools such as Altimeters and GPS
- Night navigation (optional additional session)
Is this the course for me?
To get the most out of this course, you will already have experience of map reading and navigation in the hills. You may have undertaken other navigation courses or have developed skills yourself, but now feel you’re ready to learn some of the techniques that sound a bit too daunting to learn by yourself. The focus is on teaching navigation, not covering long distances so it won’t be very physically demanding. However, we’ll be walking in hilly terrain and off the beaten track so a reasonable level of outdoor fitness will be beneficial.
How long does it last?
The Advanced Mountain Navigation course lasts for two days, starting at 9.15am and finishing around 5.00pm on each day. If you choose to include a Night Navigation session, then the course will finish between 8pm-9pm.
Outline Programme
We will always try to be flexible and tailor courses to suit the groups learning needs, but here’s a general outline.
- We’ll meet up on the first morning and chat about your aspirations and experience over tea /coffee, followed by a brief indoor session
- We then head off outside to spend the majority of each day undertaking practical learning.
- We’ll incorporate indoor sessions, reviewing learning over a brew and cakes.
- At the end of the second day, there will be the opportunity to wind down in the evening at the pub where we can review learning at an informal session!
Using different types of maps and venues helps to accelerate learning. We try to break the days up using several venues. These will be no more than a short drive apart and we can car share as necessary.
Night navigation sessions
Navigating at night is a demanding challenge and if you find yourself needing to do it in an emergency situation (or you need to get off the hill in darkness to prevent an emergency developing) having some experience to fall back on is invaluable. Between late autumn and Spring, reduced hours of daylight, combined with more testing weather conditions than summer provides an additional challenge. This often slows groups down and there’s an increased risk of spending unplanned time on the hill as darkness falls.
Our sessions are squarely aimed at giving you the opportunity to safely and comfortably gain experience and skills operating in these conditions, so if you do ever need to do it ‘for real’ you’ve got the knowledge and experience to draw on to handle the situation.
Sessions can be included in courses running between the end of October and the end of March and will last between 3 to 4 hours. The price of the session is £25 in addition to the normal course fee.
Where are the courses?
Our Navigation courses take place within the stunning surroundings of the Lake District, but we’re conveniently located to take groups further afield into the wilds of the Northern Pennines or into Southern Scotland. Please drop us an email or give us a ring to talk through what you’d like to do.
Group size and instructors
To ensure you get the most out of the experience, there will be no more than six course participants to at least one fully qualified Mountain Leader and we will often use additional instructors where possible.
What about equipment?
Included in the cost of the course, we will supply Maps & Compass (if you have your own, you are welcome to bring these). Head torches are provided for night navigation sessions.
Equipment you will need to bring along for the course:
- Sturdy waterproofed boots
- A waterproof top and trousers and a warm layer
- A pair of gloves and a hat
- Water bottle – (If you also bring a flask, we’ll be happy to provide free tea or coffee)
- A Packed lunch
- Personal medication
Course Price
£ 119 per person (Please add £25 if you would like to include a night navigation session).
– This covers:
- Course fee
- Use of any equipment provided by us, including head torches for night navigation sessions
- Tea/Coffee & Cakes during indoor sessions
- Detailed course notes (and photographs where available)
- Free email enquiry service for 12 months after the course
Dates are available throughout the year – just drop us an email and we’ll get back to you – contact page
Full details and instructions will be provided when we receive your course booking
© Out There People – Rod Ireland