ML Navigation & Setting the Standard
Pathway: Leadership
A focused Mountain Leader navigation workshop designed to show candidates what good assessment-standard navigation looks like in practice.
ML Mock Assessment Day
Leadership
A realistic Mountain Leader assessment-style mountain day bringing together navigation, leadership, judgement and decision-making, with detailed feedback on current strengths and development priorities.
- Format
- Workshop
- Duration
- 1 day
- Pathway
- Leadership
- Group
- Small-group workshop
- MTA CPD
- 1 MTA CPD point
£150 per person
Workshop Overview
ML Mock Assessment Day gives Mountain Leader trainees a focused opportunity to practise performing independently before their formal assessment. A Lake District mountain journey provides the setting for navigation legs, leadership decisions and selected syllabus tasks. Your instructor observes how you plan, make decisions and explain your approach, with feedback at appropriate points and a detailed review at the end. This is a sample of how assessment works, within one day. It does not cover the full five-day assessment, award a qualification or predict a pass. The aim is to identify what is consistent and where further consolidation will be most useful.
Key Information
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The published date identifies the operating base. The exact venue is chosen around conditions and the workshop aims.
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Small-group practice with time for individual observation and feedback (Max 4)
Who It's For
- Mountain Leader trainees who have consolidated after training and are considering assessment.
- Candidates who want experience of demonstrating skills with less prompting.
- Trainees looking for a broad readiness review before choosing further focused preparation.
Skills Covered
- Independent navigation, route choice, accuracy and relocation.
- Leadership, group care and explaining decisions.
- Planning, weather interpretation and responding to changing circumstances.
- Selected steep-ground, emergency or environmental knowledge tasks as appropriate.
- Reviewing strengths, inconsistencies and priorities for further consolidation.
Pre-requisites
You should have completed Mountain Leader training or hold an approved exemption, understand the syllabus and have consolidated your core navigation and leadership skills. Share your DLOG and training feedback before the day. This is not a beginner navigation workshop.
What to Bring
Weatherproof clothing, warm layers, food, drinks and personal medication. Walking boots or appropriate mountain footwear, a day pack, map, compass and headtorch. Bring personal ropework equipment if owned; we will confirm the list for the planned terrain and tasks. Bring your training feedback, current DLOG and any specific questions about preparation.
Maps and compasses can be provided, but we recommend bringing your own. We will tell you which map you need and recommend a Silva Expedition 4 compass.
Itinerary
The exact plan may adapt to weather, venue conditions and the group's experience. The stages below describe the intended focus.
Dates & Prices
£150 per person. Choose a confirmed date below, or register your interest while dates are being finalised.
Filter by:
| Dates | Location | Price per person | Places | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat 17 Apr 2027 | North Lakes · Borrowdale | £150 per person | 4 places left | Book now, Sat 17 Apr 2027 |
| Sat 16 Oct 2027 | North Lakes · Borrowdale | £150 per person | 4 places left | Book now, Sat 16 Oct 2027 |
No dates match these filters.
Tailored development built around you
Need a different date?
Ask about arranging ML Mock Assessment Day privately. Tell us your experience, priorities, group size and preferred dates so we can confirm a suitable format and quote.
Where this workshop fits
Your Mountain Leader Pathway
The Mountain Leader qualification is built through experience, training, consolidation and assessment. Use this pathway to understand where you are and what your next step could be.
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01
Build experience
Gain varied quality mountain days in UK and Irish terrain, developing your navigation, judgement and independence.
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02
Register with Mountain Training
Register for the Mountain Leader qualification and begin recording your experience in DLOG.
Register (Register with Mountain Training) -
03
Mountain Leader Training
Attend formal training to understand the syllabus, develop core leadership skills and identify areas for consolidation.
View Training Dates (Mountain Leader Training) -
04
Consolidation & ML Development
Practise navigation, leadership, expedition skills, steep ground movement and decision-making before assessment.
Explore ML Development (Consolidation & ML Development) -
05
You are here
Assessment preparation
Book a focused preparation course or private coaching day to check readiness, refresh key skills and identify any final development areas before assessment.
View Courses (Assessment preparation) -
06
Mountain Leader Assessment
Demonstrate the skills, experience and judgement required to lead groups in the UK and Irish mountain terrain.
View Assessment Details (Mountain Leader Assessment)
MTA Continuing Professional Development
This workshop is suitable for Mountain Training Association members undertaking CPD. Attendance carries 1 MTA CPD point and can be recorded through Tahdah.
Frequently Asked Questions
ML Mock Assessment Day FAQs
Is this an official Mountain Leader assessment?
No. It is an independent preparation workshop. There is no official result or qualification, and it does not replace the formal assessment.
Will you tell me whether I will pass?
We give direct feedback on what we observe and the gaps to address. A single day cannot predict performance across the full assessment or guarantee a result.
Does it include a wild camp or night navigation?
Neither is part of this one-day programme. Choose ML Expedition Skills, Leadership & Wild Camp or ML Navigation & Night Navigation for those specific preparation needs.
Is this teaching or a test?
You will have opportunities to work with less prompting so we can observe your current performance. Feedback and a development review make it a preparation day, rather than a formal examination.
Should I attend this or an ML navigation workshop?
Choose the mock day for a broader sample of independent performance and leadership tasks. Choose ML Navigation & Setting the Standard if you already know that navigation needs concentrated teaching and repetition.
Kit & Equipment FAQs
Do I need my own equipment?
Bring the personal equipment listed for this workshop if you own it. Contact us before buying anything so we can confirm what is needed, what can be arranged and any charges.
What happens if the weather changes?
We may change the route, venue or order of exercises to suit conditions and the group. The advertised learning aims remain the focus, and joining information explains the practical arrangements.
Booking & Cancellation FAQs
Can I book one place?
Yes. Public courses and workshops are priced per person, so you can book an individual place and join others. Check the page prerequisites before booking; you do not need to provide a whole group yourself.
How do I book?
Choose the course or workshop, check the date and location, and follow Book now. Complete the requested participant information and payment steps. If you are unsure about suitability or need equipment advice, contact us before completing the booking.
How do I pay?
Bookings below £300, or made fewer than 42 days before the start, are payable in full. For bookings of £300 or more made at least 42 days before the start, a deposit option is available, with the balance due 30 days before the start. The booking page confirms the amount due when you book.
Are prices per person or for the whole group?
Public course and workshop prices are per person. Private delivery is quoted separately for the agreed format and group. Mountain Leader reassessment is priced according to the scope agreed after reviewing your report.
Can I cancel or move my booking?
Please read our Booking & Cancellation Policy before booking. It explains the applicable notice periods, charges and options for moving a place. Contact us promptly if your circumstances change, giving your booking name and date.
What if I am ill or injured before the course?
Contact us as soon as you know you may be unable to attend. Changes, transfers and refunds are handled under the Booking & Cancellation Policy. Let us know before the day rather than arriving unsure whether you can take part.
What happens if LDM changes or cancels the event?
We will contact you to explain the change and the options available under our booking terms. Read the policy before booking, particularly before making separate travel or accommodation arrangements.
What happens if minimum numbers are not reached?
Public dates depend on sufficient bookings. If numbers affect your date, we will explain the situation and the options under our booking terms. The places shown online are availability, not a promise that minimum numbers have already been met.
The date is full. Can I join a waiting list?
Use Join the waiting list where it is shown, or contact us with the course and date. A waiting-list request is not a confirmed booking; we will contact you if a suitable place becomes available.
There are no dates listed. Can I register interest?
Yes. Use Register interest or contact us with the offering and your preferred dates. We can let you know about forthcoming public dates or discuss private delivery, subject to availability.
Can I use an existing voucher?
Yes. We will honour valid existing vouchers as the booking system changes. Contact us with the voucher details before paying so we can explain how to apply it.
Can I give my place to someone else?
Contact us before arranging a replacement. We need to check the booking terms, the other participant's suitability and their details before confirming whether a transfer is possible.
I have not received booking confirmation. What should I do?
Check your spam or junk folder, then contact us with the booking name, course and date. Please check with us before making a second payment so we can establish what happened.
Structured progression
Your next step
Leave with a clearer picture of your current performance and a practical plan for further consolidation before booking or attending assessment.
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ML Expedition Skills, Leadership & Wild Camp
Pathway: Leadership
A two-day Mountain Leader development workshop combining expedition skills, leadership, navigation and campcraft through a practical overnight mountain journey.
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Mountain Leader Assessment
Pathway: Leadership
A professional, fair assessment of the full Mountain Leader standard.
Reading to support your learning
Knowledge Hub
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Mountain Leader Assessment Preparation: What to Work On and When
If you're aiming to become a qualified Mountain Leader (ML), take a look at the Mountain Leader Preparation course!
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Preparing for Mountain Leader Assessment: Practical Advice for Candidates
Here are some key tips to help you pass your Mountain Leader (ML) assessment with confidence.
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Mountain Leader Courses in the Lake District
The Lake District is the perfect setting for aspiring mountain leaders to hone their skills.
Why choose Lake District Mountaineering?
- Highly qualified instructors. MCI and WMCI qualified professionals.
- Small groups, real attention. More time for coaching and feedback from your instructor.
- Structured progression. Every course builds towards real independence in the mountains.
- Real mountain environments. Trained on the fells of the Lake District and the Scottish Highlands.