Trad Climbing:
Learn to Lead
The Learn to Lead Trad Climbing course prepares you to confidently take the sharp end - leading climbs by placing protection, building secure belays, and moving decisively on rock. You’ll develop the skills to confidently place and trust nuts, cams, and hexes.
2 DAY COURSE
PRICES:£260pp
COURSE OVERVIEW
Learn to Lead Trad is a progression course for climbers ready to step up to leading traditional routes. You'll refine your gear placements, build safe and solid anchors, and lead with greater confidence and control. This course also focuses on developing your head game - building the mental resilience, focus, and decision-making skills essential for leading safely on the sharp end.
COURSE OUTLINE
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Efficient Lead Movement:
Improve your body position, footwork, and route reading to climb smoothly and with control and precision.
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Placing and Trusting Protection:
Learn how to select, place, and evaluate gear such as nuts, cams, and hexes - and how to judge what’s safe and reliable.
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Rope Management & Clipping:
Develop efficient rope systems, learn to avoid rope drag, clip safely, manage traverses, changes of direction and double rope techniques.
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Anchor Building & Belay Setups:
Build secure, equalised belays using a variety of placements and understand how to adapt to different rock features. Use of the guide plate and direct belays is covered.
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Lead Fall Awareness & Head Game:
Explore the psychology of leading - how to manage fear, stay focused, and break the climb down into manageable sections to make sound decisions on lead.
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Route Reading & Risk Assessment:
Learn to interpret guidebooks, assess rock quality, anticipate challenges, and make smart choices mid-route in relation to crux moves, finding rests and protecting a route appropriately.
WHAT TO EXPECT
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2 full days of practical coaching and lead climbing on real rock
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Focused climbing on rock routes to build confidence and technique
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1:2 maximum ratio ensures close supervision and personalised instruction
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Led by MCI+ qualified instructors with extensive trad climbing and coaching experience
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Hands-on learning in classic Lake District venues such as Borrowdale or Langdale
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A supportive environment to challenge yourself and develop both skills and head game
SKILLS COVERED
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Placing and assessing traditional protection on lead (nuts, cams, hexes)
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Building secure, equalised anchors and belay systems
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Managing stances and changeovers for block leading and swinging leads
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Efficient rope management and clipping techniques
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Managing rope drag and extending runners
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Lead climbing movement and route-reading on real rock
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Dynamic risk assessing and decision-making while leading
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Understanding fall potential and lead fall dynamics
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Developing psychological strategies and managing fear on the sharp end
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Belaying a lead climber and bringing up a second
WHO IS THIS COURSE FOR?
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Those who have seconded trad routes and want to progress to leading
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Mountaineers or scramblers aiming to build technical ropework and climbing skills for independent mountaineering
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Sport climbers wanting to broaden their skillset into traditional climbing
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Climbers with some trad experience who want to refine their skills and head game
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Pairs of friends or partners aiming to climb self-sufficiently as a team
Anyone aged 16+ (under-18s must be accompanied by a parent or guardian).
A Trad Climbing Development course is beneficial and prior trad climbing and seconding will be useful.
dates
We can run bespoke dates in Spring, Summer and Autumn.
Get in touch to arrange your dates.
Send us a message to arrange a bespoke course.
COURSE RATIOS
Max ratio 1:2 for a personalised, hands-on experience
Open courses are a great way to meet like-minded climbers
Bespoke 1:1 instruction available from £260/day
1:2 bespoke option from £150pp/day—bring a partner to save
Courses require minimum 2 bookings to run in full; solo bookings secure a one-day private session
PRE-REQUISITES
Ages 16+ (Under 18s must be accompanied by a parent or guardian)
Ideally, you should have:
Belayed at least 10 times, and
Seconded 10+ outdoor trad routes at VDiff or above,
OR
Led 20+ sport routes (indoors or outdoors) at F4+ or above
A Trad Development Course is a great stepping stone
Multi-Pitch Climbing may be your next step after this course
EQUIPMENT
Harness, helmet, ropes, and hardware provided
Bring your own rock shoes and suitable outdoor clothing
You’re welcome to use your own technical equipment - just let us know in advance
We’ll send a kit list during booking and can advise on gear if needed
[Rock shoe buying guide available here]
VENUE
Based in the North Lakes, mainly using crags in Borrowdale
-Shepherd's Crag
-Glaciated Slab
-Brown Slabs
Meet at Keswick Climbing Wall café at 9:00am for introductions and course briefing
Car sharing to crags is possible if needed
Day 2 may use venues in Borrowdale or Langdale—both offer excellent access and quality climbs
OTHER COURSES OF INTEREST...
Hire our Lake District Mountaineering instructors for private and tailored programmes.
Experiences suited to your goals & ambitions to make the most of YOUR time in the mountains.
Summer & Winter guiding available - tackle the mountains all year round.
Day rates:
1:1 £250
1:2 £150pp
this course is accredited to mountain training
Mountain Training is the collection of awarding bodies for skills courses and qualifications in walking, climbing and mountaineering that operates across the UK and The Republic Of Ireland.
Our qualifications train and assess people to look after other people in these environments, whether that's leading a walk in the mountains, coaching in a climbing wall or teaching multi pitch rock climbing. People who hold our qualifications have been assessed at a nationally agreed standard.
Our Vision
A diverse and active outdoor society, supported by inspirational leaders, instructors and coaches.
Our Mission
To inspire, enable and develop people in walking, climbing and mountaineering through the provision of nationally and internationally recognised skills training and leadership qualifications.
Support for people
Mountain Training is committed to ensuring that everyone has equal opportunity to attend our courses. We work in close partnership with the mountaineering councils and a key strand of their work is to ensure that participation is open to all. The BMC Equity Steering Group and initiatives like Adventure for All have been central to this and are an excellent source of information.
CONTACT
We look forward to hearing from you and working towards your mountaineering ambitions and helping to achieve your goals.
Phone or WhatsApp:
07458353048
If calls are missed we will respond when possible, please leave a WhatsApp or text message so we can respond to your enquiry.
Thank you