Hill & Mountain Skills
Hill & mountain walking is one of the most popular activities in the UK. The physical and mental benefits are well-documented, and more people are venturing into our stunning hills and mountains to reap these rewards.
Hill and mountain walking is accessible and completely free, making it an activity that anyone can enjoy.
However, this vast playground and its accessibility can sometimes lead to challenges. The hills & mountains of the UK can present serious weather and terrain conditions, making it easy to get into trouble.
Often, accidents occur due to ignorance of the risks, poor planning, or lack of knowledge about what lies ahead and how to react when things take a turn for the worse. It’s not necessarily the weather or terrain that’s the issue, but rather people’s preparation and response.
Hill and mountain skills course
To ensure everyone is well-prepared and can learn new skills, we’ve created our Hills & Mountains Skills course. This course is the perfect way to acquire the skills needed for a safe and enjoyable day in the UK’s hills and mountains.
By attending our course, you’ll become more confident in tackling whatever the hills & mountains throw at you.
The courses are led by Simon Stokes, the owner of Peak-Outdoor, who is a qualified Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor (MCI), Rock Climbing Development Instructor (RCDI), Winter & Summer Mountain Leader. He is also a Edale Mountain Rescue team member and Association of Mountaineering Instructors member
All our courses are conducted in a fun and engaging manner, with plenty of practical teaching and learning in the breathtaking hills of the Dark & White Peak District. Simon employs various coaching methods to cater to each individual’s learning style and pace, ensuring everyone gets the most from this course.
This is the perfect introduction to getting started for walking in the countryside, hills, moorlands and mountains of the UK. No previous experience or fitness is needed as this is mainly aimed at beginners and is also useful for experienced walkers who want to hone their skills in planning, navigation, equipment, safety and emergency procedures.
What we cover : –
- Planning a walk – how to plan a hill walk, timing, safety, route finding and other aspects to consider.
- Movement skills – injury prevention, nutrition, movement skills on different terrain.
- Clothing & equipment – what to pack in your rucksack, top tips, improving safety, right equipment for the environment & weather.
- Weather – how the weather effects your walk and how to relate weather with planning & equipment.
- Navigation – Introduction to maps, symbols, pacing and timing, compasses, grid references and contours. Also how to take and walk on a baring.
- Environment and access – local and national access legislation, The Countryside Code and other outdoor stakeholders and organisations. How to minimise your impact on the environment, best practice and personal responsibility.
- Hazards & safety procedures – Self-reliance, how to avoid calling for help and what to do in an emergency when you need help.
- Useful resources & tips – a collection of our top tips and nifty ideas to make your life easier and more productive on the hill. Also useful resources to improve your knowledge on the outdoors.
We start off in the classroom, planning our walk on the hill together. We then go out onto the moorlands and hills to put the walk into practice and cover other aspects of the syllabus. Then its back to the classroom to review the day and plan the next day ahead.
The course will involve 4-6 hours each day outside on tracks and paths that are rough under foot. The pace of the walking is not demanding and the main emphasis will be on learning the skills and ensuring everyone’s learning style and pace is considered.
Our hill and mountain skills courses are £170.00 per person for 2 days
Our next course dates for 2025 are below :
9-10th & 12-13th April
22nd – 23rd & 25-26th October
26-27th November
To make a booking, please call 07970 835737 or click on Contact Us
Private 121 Tuition and coaching
If you want private 1:1 tuition then our qualified instructor lead days are perfect for the novice to learn the new skills or experienced hiker who want to progress their knowledge and ability. We can provide bespoke days to cover your exact needs.
1 day private 121 tuition is £195.00 for a full day private guide one to one, with an additional £50 per extra person.
To book this please call us on 07970 835737 or visit our Contact Us page to enquire about availability.
Testimonials
Below are some of our reviews and testimonials for Hill and Mountain Skills. These come from Google, Facebook and Trip Advisor. Click on the links to see all our recommendations and reviews.
Emma Rodger – Simon has been an excellent instructor and guide on a bespoke two day hill walking and navigation course for a friend and me. Simon is super friendly and knowledgeable with a great teaching style. We have learnt loads and he has been brilliant at helping us put theory into practice. Thoroughly recommend 👍🏻
Fiona Outram – I had a fantastic day with Simon on the hills above Hathersage, learning Hill & Mountain Skills. I learned loads, and came away feeling more confident about walking in the UK and also my upcoming long-distance walking trip in Corsica. Simon gave me lots of advice about preparation for my trip, and a really useful intro to scrambling, on top of the usual course syllabus. He’s a great teacher and good company too.
Louise Courtney – We had a brilliant few days celebrating my birthday with Simon from Peak Outdoor. Over the two days we managed to sample the best of what the Peak District has to offer. From the beauty and lushness of the White Peak at Lathkill and Bradford Dale to the majesty of the Kinder traverse on day 2. Communication and preparation from Simon was exemplary and despite having a varied group, the walls were achievable and enjoyable for all. We even got to have lunch in a cave and a shelter!! I would t hesitate to recommend Simon as a guide and will be asking him to guide us again!!