Hill & Mountain Skills
Hill & mountain walking is one of the most popular activities in the UK. The benefits both physically and mentally are well reported and many more people are getting out into our hills and mountains to enjoy the rewards they give.
Hill and mountain walking is very accessible and free !! which means pretty much anyone can do it.
But this huge playground and accessibility can bring with it some problems. The hills & mountains of the UK can have some serious weather and terrain and its quite easy to get yourself into trouble.
Most of the time when there’s an accident or issue we find its ignorance of the risk and poor planning or knowledge of what lies ahead and what to do when things take a turn for the worse. Its not necessarily the weather or terrain that’s the issue more people’s planning and reaction to it.
To help people be more prepared and learn new skills we’ve created our hills & mountains Skills course.
The course is an ideal way to learn the skills you need to have a safe and enjoyable day in the UK’s Hills & Mountains.
By attending our course, you will be more confident in tackling what the hills & mountains can throw at you.
The course is run by the owner of Peak-Outdoor Simon Stokes who is a qualified Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor, NNAS Navigation Tutor, Winter & Summer Mountain Leader and Mountain Rescue team member.
All our courses are run in a fun and engaging manner with lots of practical teaching and learning in the local hills of the Dark & White Peak District. Simon will deliver many different coaching methods to ensure each learning style is meet and at everyone’s pace.
Our course is run from AlpKit in Hathersage and you can enjoy a 10% in store discount during the course. We have many links with local accommodation providers and can recommend somewhere for your stay.
Complementary teas and coffees are included, please wear appropriate outdoor clothing, waterproofs, walking boots / shoes and a rucksack for time on the hill and also a pack lunch and a drink for each day.
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.
- Walking 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 link in forecasting 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 – 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 secret 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 with our experienced Mountain Leader Tutor and the rest of the group, planning our walk on the hill together. We then go out onto the moorlands, 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 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 October
26-27th November
To make a booking, please call 07970 835737 or click on Contact Us
