Intro to Hill Skills and Navigation Course, Snowdonia

Course Aims

By the end of this course I hope that you will be inspired and realise how much fun it is to be out in the mountains. You will have grasped the concepts of basic mountain navigation and practiced using the skills on a mountain journey. You will know how to deal with incidents and emergencies should they crop up and how to avoid common problems. You will also have gained in confidence after walking on a variety of terrain - from scree to steep grass.

Course Program

Day 1 - Navigation Day

Mountain Weather

Map Basics - Symbols, scale and grid references

Navigation Basics - Orientating the map, relocation

Compass Work

The 4 Ds - Direction, Distance, Duration and Description

Day 2 - Mountain Day

Preparation - route planning, equipment, weather

Emergency procedures

Mountain navigation using skills learnt on the first day

Using a GPS

Length - 2 Days

Ratio - 1:6

Open Course Dates -

April 2nd & 3rd

May 14th & 15th

June 4th & 5th

July 3rd & 4th

Cost - £125 p/p

Previous Experience

No previous mountain walking experience needed. Basic level of fitness is useful.

Private Course

If there is a group of you or the open course dates don't suit you the book a private course. Visit the private course page to find out how. The cost will depend on how many people in your group.

How do I book? Visit the booking page to find out how to book this course.

What's included in the cost? The course fee includes the instruction you receive only. It does not include accommodation, food or transport costs.

What equipment do I need? A compass - Silva type 4 and an 1:25000 OS Map of Snowdonia - OL17. You will need to wear suitable mountain walking clothing and walking boots. You will also need a rucksack to carry spare clothes, waterproofs, food and drink. I will email you a full kit list when you book on the course.

What happens if the weather is bad? Bad weather is often good for these courses as it makes learning navigation very realistic and tests your hill skills to the max! I don't cancel courses for bad weather our safety is compromised.

Where do we meet? I normally meet at 9.15 at Pete's Eats in Llanberis. We'll have a quick chat about the course then head out in to the mountains. We normally finish between 4.30 and 5pm

If you have any queries please don't hesitate to email me.