Map Reading and Navigation Courses in The Peak District

By

Peak Navigation Courses, Autumn programme 2014

1st Steps to Map Reading and Navigation (Silver NNAS Day 1)
Our “entry level” course suitable for the novice or those with plenty of experience who want to learn properly to navigate through fields and easy open moorland using a map and compass. (This course also forms day 1 of our Silver National Navigation Award Courses and is undertaken with “Moving onto Moorland” to complete the award). 
Based from Foolow in The Peak District, a one day course costing £40.

Dates:
Saturday 6th September
Saturday 11th October
Saturday 25th October
Saturday 8th November
Sunday 23rd November



Moving onto Moorland (Silver NNAS Day 2)
This course is for more experienced navigators who already understand how to use a map and compass but want to progress onto moorland. The course introduces “micro” navigation techniques such as pacing and timing on a compass bearing. (This course also forms day 2 of our Silver National Navigation Award Courses when undertaken with “1st Steps to Map Reading and Navigation” to complete the award). Based from Foolow in The Peak District, a one day course costing £40.



Dates:  Sunday 7th September,  Sunday 12th October,  Sunday 9th November



Hill Skills
We are accredited by Mountain Training to provide this course aimed at the novice walker and introducing them to the range of skills required to be safe to walk in the hills. (Requires registration with Mountain Training). Based from Foolow in The Peak District, this 2 day non residential course costs £85.

Weekend 18th and 19th October


Mountain Skills (in The Lake District)
We are accredited by Mountain Training to provide this course aimed at walkers with some experience who want to progress to walking in British mountains. This course introduces the range of skills necessary to be safe in the mountains. (Requires registration with Mountain Training).

Weekend 14th (evening),15th and 16th November

For this weekend we have booked a “camping Barn” near Keswick in the Lake District and the cost of the course includes a (self catering) place in the barn. After a short indoors session on the Saturday Morning the course will be on Blencathra for the rest of the day which will introduce some easy rock scrambling in addition to general movement skills and navigation. Cost for the weekend £135.



Night  (poor visibility) Navigation
A short evening course (6.30pm until 10pm) designed to give you confidence should you be caught out when the mist comes down or after dark. Cost for this course £20.

Saturday 1st November
Saturday 29th November



Advanced Navigation
A day of exacting navigation suitable for people who want to develop their navigation to an advanced level. You will already be able to use a compass but this course will spend much time off path on difficult moorland. Based in The Peak District, cost for this day course, £40.

Sunday 2nd November


Navigation “Masterclass”
A day of revising your existing advanced navigation skills! Suitable for those who have already attended our advanced Navigation Course or for candidates wishing to practice ahead of Moorland or Mountain Leader assessments. Based in The Peak District, cost for this day course, £40.

Saturday 22nd November

Jane and Mike who run Peak Navigation Courses are both qualified International Mountain Leaders and Rock Climbing Instructors. They spend the summer months working overseas as walking guides, mainly in Spain's Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Mulhacen 3482m, The highest mountain in mainland Spain with Peak Navigation!







Popular posts from this blog

Using a Compass for Map Reading and Navigation

By
Image
Using a Compass for Map Reading and Navigation She's got it! Using a compass 1st Steps to Map Reading & Navigation Course It’s a commonly held misconception that a compass is only useful for navigating across open moorland, mountain terrain or in the mist.   Additionally many people carry a compass but do not know how to use it! We have been living and working in the Peak District for many years teaching Map Reading and Navigation. Frequently we watch people park up un the village green opposite our house get togged up for a walk and set off, only to see them coming back 5 or 10 minutes later as they had initially set off in the wrong direction. This is especially true of young people on their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expeditions. Using a compass to “orientate” your map before setting off helps you to then recognise where features are on the ground (preferably using a 1:25k scale map) and therefore which way to leave the car park or village. With ...
Read more

How to use a Compass

By
Image
How to use a compass A compass is a simple and brilliant navigation tool.  At the very least it will have a needle that points north which will allow you to orientate your map and give you a rough indication of which way to walk.  If you have one designed for hill walking, mountaineering and orienteering then you will have "the full monty" and be able to use it for accurate map reading and navigation.  The compass used to illustrate this blog is a Silva type 4 Expedition (not the military version) and is a great all round compass. In this short feature I can't teach you all of the techniques involved in navigation but will show you how to use a compass to navigate across a short stretch of open moorland from a known point (where you are) to another point (where you want to go). Step 1: I want to navigate from the Trig Point 590m to Madwoman's Stones. Step 2: Lay the edge of the compass across the Trig Point 590m and Madwoman's ...
Read more

Kinder Scout claims more scalps!

By
Image
Autumn has arrived early this year as we didn’t seem to have much of a summer. Looking at the mountain rescue call out reports, the Peak District moors have certainly been proving too much for many ill prepared walkers who have ended up having to be rescued.   It’s not just about poor map reading and navigation skills and the over reliance on GPS navigation technology, but also about having the skills, clothing and equipment to deal with the difficult terrain, which has become extremely boggy after the summer rains.  The Following is an extract from Buxton Mountain Rescue Team call out log: “ Buxton Mountain Rescue Team called out as night fell to search Kinder moor for two walkers who were trapped by deep bog without lights or whistle.   Although the casualties, a married couple from Doncaster, had no apparent injuries, they were very cold and disorientated. The night was damp and misty at high level, with some wind. They had set off for a days walk from E...
Read more