Scrambling Masterclasses in the Lake District

Two people with coils of rope scrambling in the Lake District – Chris Ensoll Mountain Guide

If you want to develop your personal skills to enable you to go scrambling with friends on more serious ground, this Masterclass will be great for you. You will learn how to move quickly without compromising safety - perfect preparation for long scrambling days, such as the longer Ben Nevis ridges or the Cuillin of Skye. You will look at how to make good choices and use the best techniques for the terrain. You need to be confident on grade I/II scrambles, as this is the terrain we will be operating on during the course. We may venture on to grade III ground, depending on the ability of the participants. Open to all Mountain Leader Award and International Mountain Leader holders and trainees, and anyone with comparable personal experience.

Venue: meet at the Old Dungeon Ghyll car park or the Kirkstone Pass car park - this will be confirmed a few days beforehand as it depends on the weather.

Dates: see the Masterclasses section on our online calendar

Times: 9.30am to 4.30pm approx

Cost:
2024: £68 Mountain Training Association, BAIML members, £74 non-members
2025: £70 Mountain Training Association, BAIML members, £76 non-members

Equipment: we’ll send you a kit list when you book.

Counts as 1 CPD point for Mountain Training Association and BAIML members

Useful blog posts:
Personal Scrambling Skills workshop, 12th March 2016
My Favourite Climbing Helmet: the Petzl Meteor (And How To Choose A New Helmet)
Scrambling: What It Is And How To Do It Safely

What do our clients say about us?

For older testimonials, please see the Testimonials Archive page.

The booking proceduere was very efficient and comprehensive. The programme was way above my expectations, simply explained, well structured and well paced. Chris is an easy guide to work with, communication is easy and relaxed, but productive.
Frances West, September 2019

The programme was set at what we wanted to achieve, and we did. Chris makes everything look easy (years of practice) but explains and demonstates in a easy to follow way with plenty of positive feedback throughout the day. I have been on other courses with Chris and never been disappointed.
Paul Kendall, September 2019

This course exceeded my expectations. I'd booked, hoping to learn how to attempt grade 2 scrambles with friends using a rope for security. We did learn that and I now feel confident to go out and practice the skills that I learnt. The unexpected bonus of learning some movement skills will I think totally transform the way that I move over rock in the future. Chris explained everything very clearly, with a good structure to the day.
Cath Lee, September 2019

It was an excellent day and Chris has a knack of teaching without 'telling' and much experiential learning with many pointers to improve. Chris appears to be an optimist at heart and extremely motivational with his ability to impart enthusiasm. I'm seriously thinking what other courses to take now, as I would love to gain confidence to lead climb again after my accident.
Carole Renshaw, September 2020

I thoroughly enjoyed the day. I practised old skills and learnt new ones; it was over too quickly!
Mick Loftus, June 2022

Chris Moore was a true professional, very knowledgable and a passionate. Really enjoyed the course.
Jamie McGregor, August 2023

We did a lot in the day. I like that we began with all the basic movement tips. This is a complex session, given the nature of what scrambling is and what it can be. The programme gave me renewed confidence and some new things to practice and deploy independently. Al is a wonderful instructor, who set the perfect tone for the class and for this group, which had a range of experience and aspiration levels.
Magnus George, May 2024

I had a great day, despite being just a walker and fell runner with very little experience of scrambling, even grade 1. Due to Chris’s excellent (and patient) instruction throughout I was able to extend my skills beyond the objectives I had at the beginning of the day, to the extent that we tackled grade 3 routes with confidence. Building up from ensuring good quality footwork at the beginning of the session, Chris’s attention to detail ensured safe use and full explanation of the equipment I used, so I now feel confident in using it correctly.
Mark Richards, June 2024

Chris was an excellent guide/instructor. He paid attention to our individual skills/lack of and gave us the best feedback to develop our skills and achieve our goals for the day. Chris has excellent observation skills and thus assesses the clients capabilities extremely well. He then reinforces those observations throughout the day.
Steve Graham, June 2024

a mountaineer reaching the top of a scramble - Chris Ensoll Mountain Guide