Essential Information for Qualification Courses

Accommodation

All our courses are non-residential, so you will need to arrange your own accommodation. Ambleside Is a convenient location - an info sheet with travel and accommodation ideas can be downloaded here: Lake District travel and accommodation

What about transport?

We will either arrange to meet you at the venue for the day, or if you don’t have your own transport we can pick you up from your accommodation if you are based in the Ambleside or Windermere area.

First aid courses

We recommend Pete Cunningham at First Aid Cumbria. If you book using the referral code FAC2711, you will be given 10% off your course fee, and we will also be given 10% off our next booking with Pete. The courses are based at Staveley, near Kendal.

Useful blog posts for all qualification courses

Kit
How To Stay Dry Whatever The Weather #1: Waterproofs
How To Stay Dry Whatever The Weather #2: Boots
So What Do I Carry In My First Aid Kit?
My Top Three Favourite Rucksacks and Why I Like Them
Lightweight Tent Review & Comparison: Terra Nova Laser Competition 1 vs Hilleberg Akto
7 Things You Should Never Leave Out Of Your Rucksack
Paramo or Goretex? What's My Preference And Why?
Top Tips About Waterproof Trousers
First Aid Kit Comparison: The Minimalist vs The First Aid Trainer

Goals and top tips
7 Ways To Make Your Goals More Achievable in 2017
7 Top Tips For Rock Climbers & Mountaineers
7 More Top Tips For Rock Climbers & Mountaineers
Top Tips From The Experts For Aspiring Outdoor Professionals
7 Ways To Make Your Goals More Achievable In 2018 (And How We Did In 2017)
Top Tips For Using Your Digital Logbook (DLOG)

The mountain environment
Managing Risk in the Mountains #1: The Three Variables
Managing Risk in the Mountains #2: Heuristics & Mind Sets
What's To Love About Lichens?
Everything You Need To Know About Ticks
5 Really Cool Things To Look Out For In The Mountains

Anything else
Confused? You’re Not Alone
Do You Recognise The 10 Early Warning Signs Of Hypothermia?
Why do some mountaineers end the day with energy to spare?
The Great Gift, 19th July 1919
Who Needs A Mountain Mentor?
What's Not To Love About Home-Made Hill Food?
How To Stay Mountain-Fit During Lockdown
7 Reasons Why You Should Embrace Failure

Useful blog posts for mountain and hill-based courses

Wild camping & expo food
My Top 10 Tips for Wild Camping
Beef Stew & Camp Meals vs Dog Food: Surprising Results
Review: Katadyn BeFree Water Filtration System
My Top Six Expo Food Choices
How To Stay Dry Whatever The Weather #4: Wild Camping

Route planning & navigation
How to Navigate Like a Pro
What's The Future For Maps?
Top Tips On Making A Really Useful Route Card
5 Reasons Why You Should Learn To Navigate Using Contours

Kit
How To Pack Your Rucksack The Minimalist Way
How To Stay Dry Whatever The Weather #3: Walking In The Rain

Preparation
7 Ways To Get More Out Of Your Time In The Mountains
Why Do Hill Walkers and Mountaineers Need Movement Coaching?
How To Prepare For Your Mountain Leader Assessment #1: Quality Mountain Days in the Lake District
How To Practise Your Mountain Leader Rope Skills At Home
Top Tips for Progressing from Mountain Leader to Mountain Instructor

Course info
A creative course summary from our MLA assessment candidates
So What Do You Actually Do On A Mountain Leader Steep Ground Masterclass?
A Dutchman's Eye View of the Mountain Leader Training Course
What Should You Expect On Your Mountain Leader Course?
How To Pass Your Mountain Leader Assessment
My Philosophy About Mountain Leader Assessment Courses (& Other Inside Info)
So What's It Really Like On A Mountain Leader Assessment Course?
So What's It Really Like On A Mountain Leader Assessment Course? #2
Mountain Leader Assessment: The Other Side
A Sneak Peak Into A Mountain Leader Training Course

Useful blog posts for climbing courses

SPA assessment day one, 9th February 2015
Cow's Tails: Dynamic Rope or Sling?
How To Build Good Belays Part 1: Selecting Your Anchors
How To Build Good Belays Part 2: Tying In To Your Anchors
Build your first climbing rack
How To Use Prusiks
What Should You Expect On Your Single Pitch Award Training Course?
Do You Know The Ropes?
So What's The New Rock Climbing Instructor Qualification All About?
My Favourite Climbing Helmet: the Petzl Meteor (And How To Choose A New Helmet)
How To Practise Your Personal Climbing Skills At Home
Climbing Harness Review & Comparison (& How To Choose A New Harness)
6 Quick Fixes To Improve Your Climbing

Useful resources

Web links

Mountain Training
Mountain Training walking awards downloads
Mountain Training climbing awards downloads
The British Mountaineering Council
Mountaineering Scotland
Mountaineering Ireland
Mountain Training Association

Mountain Training e-learning modules

Access these by:
~ sign in to the Mountain Training CMS
~ select the DLOG tab
~ select Awards & Training
~ select Online Learning

Videos

Check out our video tutorials page. All the videos can also be seen on our YouTube channel.

There are several helpful videos on the Frequently Asked Questions About CMS & DLOG page on the Mountain Training website.

Books

Any of the following books would be useful pre-course reading for mountain-based courses:

• Hillwalking, by Steve Long (Mountain Training, third edition 2014)

• Navigation in the Mountains, Carlo Forte (Mountain Training, 2012)

• Call Out Mountain Rescue? A Pocket Guide to Safety on the Hill, Judy Whiteside (Mountain Rescue Council, second edition 2010)

• Hostile Habitats, N Kempe, M Wrightham (Scottish Mountaineering Trust, 2006)

• How to Shit in the Woods, K Meyer (Ten Speed Press, 1994)

• Safety, Risk and Adventure in Outdoor Activities, Bob Barton (SAGE Publications Ltd, 2006)

• Nature of Snowdonia, Mike Raine (Pesda Press, 2009)

• Mountain Weather (A practical Guide for Hillwalkers & Climbers in the British Isles), David Pedgley (Cicerone, third edition 2006)

• Outdoor Navigation Handbook for Tutors, P & B Mee written on behalf of NNAS (Harvey)

• Rock Climbing Essential Skills and Techniques by Libby Peter