ml refresher
NAVIGATION SKILLS & STRATEGIES
(with contour only maps)
This workshop offers a valuable opportunity to receive targeted feedback, refine your strategies, and strengthen your skills on smaller scale maps. You'll explore your confidence levels, challenge your assumptions, and align your understanding with the realities of working with 1:25k maps - empowering you to approach assessments with greater clarity and success.
Accreditation
This workshop is for Mountain Leader trainees.
MTA members gain 1 CPD point for attending
10% off this refresher when you book an LDM assessment
You can view the workshops here on Mountain Training
1 DAY COURSE
PRICES: £100pp
MTA PRICE: £85pp
COURSE OVERVIEW
This practical workshop is for Mountain Leader trainees and/or qualified leaders who want to sharpen their navigation skills using larger scale 1:25,000 maps. The day focuses on short-leg navigation in complex or featureless terrain, developing the ability to interpret contour detail (use of contour only maps), understand and use changes in gradient and help build expectations and confidence with topographical features.
Participants will refine micro-navigation strategies, improve accuracy in distance and timing, and strengthen relocation techniques. The aim is to build confidence, challenge assumptions, and ensure navigational decisions match the realities on the ground - honing your skills ahead of assessment.
OUTLINE:
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Understanding Map Detail at 1:25,000
Explore the increased detail and accuracy of 1:25k maps, and how to use them for precise, short-leg navigation.
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Distances and Timings
Refine your ability to measure and estimate distances and corresponding timings accurately.
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Compass Work
Take bearings, estimate the bearing and follow it accurately across mountainous ground.
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Contour Intervals
Work with 10 m contour intervals to read fine changes in slope and shape and understand changes in gradient to aid navigation.
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Comparing with Other Scales
Briefly compare 1:25,000 with 1:12,500 maps to appreciate the fine details and see contours more accurately.
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Building Micro Navigation Strategies
Plan short legs using attack points, handrails, and catching features, allowing you to hone in when in poor visibility or complex terrain.
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Relocation Techniques
Use micro-level relocation methods - Angle, Aspect, Altitude - to help relocate and gather information to make better decisions.
WHO IS THIS COURSE FOR?
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Hill and Moorland Leader (HML) and Mountain Leader (ML) trainees preparing for assessment.
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Qualified leaders who feel “rusty” and want to sharpen their navigation before leading groups again.
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Anyone needing targeted micro-navigation practice in 'featureless' terrain, or challenging conditions.
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People who want assessor-led feedback to match current Mountain Training standards.
SKILLS COVERED:
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Revision of syllabus
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Framing the standard expected on assessment
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Building and using strategies
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Bearings, pacing, timings and other navigation techniques
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Slope aspects
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Exact distance measurement through mountain terrain
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Navigation by contours alone
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Use of changes in gradient
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Navigational skills & strategies for low visibility
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Map expectations and feature awareness
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Individual debriefs and action plans
WORKSHOP PROVIDER CREDENTIALS:
Workshop provider: Sam Marsland (WMCI & ML course director)
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE EVENT:
Your CPD record - If you attend this event and it counts as CPD, your CPD point/s will automatically be added to your record in due course - you will not need to add it yourself.
dates
COURSE RATIOS
1:6 Ratio
Min. course size: 2
Max. course size: 6
Courses need 2 people to run
This is an open workshop designed for you to meet with other ML trainees and find other candidates to consolidate with.
Sam holds the WMCI award, is a ML Course Director and has national Mountain Training organisation requirements to run this course
PRE-REQUISITES
18 years +
Registered and completed your ML training course.
Be a MTA member to access the benefits of:
Discounted price & 1 CPD point
None MTA can join but you won't be able to redeem your CPD points
This course is for you if you are looking to check in with your skills and gain further knowledge and understanding towards assessment for ML
EQUIPMENT
We will share a fully comprehensive kit list with you during the booking stage.
You will need to wear suitable outdoor clothing (warm and waterproof) and suitable mountain footwear (boots).
Please bring your OL4 or Harvey 1:25k map for use in the Bessy Boot/Glaramara area. We will supply additional contour only maps.
You will need all of your regular hill kit plus lunch, snacks and water for the day.
VENUE
This workshop is delivered from the Borrowdale YHA - we will head into the Fells from here.
Accommodation is available at both Buttermere YHA and Borrowdale YHA - they do camping too.
There are good transport links and buses running from Keswick
Here we will introduce the course outlines, planning stages and discuss our objectives
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.
Hire our Lake District Mountaineering instructors for private and tailored programmes.
Suited to your goals & ambitions to make the most of YOUR time in the mountains.
Choose from the following areas to work on, on a bespoke basis
Micro Navigation Skills (Contour Only)
Day rates:
1:1 £200
1:2 £250
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