Hill & Moorland Leader Award Training
This qualification is ideal for walkers who want to learn the skills required for effective group leadership in the hill and moorland areas of the UK and Ireland.
Course Overview
The Hill & Moorland Leader Award is ideal for walkers who want to learn the skills required for effective group leadership in the hill and moorland areas of the UK and Ireland. It is used extensively by those involved with delivering the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award as well as many clubs walk leaders and outdoor instructors. Hill and Moorland Leaders operate in terrain that is generally more remote than that used by Lowland Leaders and not as steep or rocky as ground covered by Mountain Leaders.
Such areas may often be subject to hostile weather conditions and require an element of self-sufficiency and this is reflected in the syllabus of this scheme.
Programme
Day 1
• 09:15 Arrive, register, introductions and course briefing
• Basic hill walking equipment
• Depart for hill and introduction to mountain navigation
• Weather lecture
• 6.00pm Dinner
• Evening Introduction to timing and pacing
Day 2
• 09.15am Classroom intro to compass and map reading skills
• Depart for hill and map reading skills
• Emergency procedures
• Return to Tollymore and Risk Management and Leadership lecture
• 6.00pm Dinner
• Evening night navigation
Day 3
• 09.30 Depart for hill and basic steep ground training
• Dealing with emergencies
• Access and environment
• 17:00 return and debriefs
What you will Learn
Hill and Moorland Leaders should be competent in the following key areas, all of which will be covered, to a greater or lesser extent, during your three day training course.
• Walking and Route Finding
• Navigation
• Hazards and Emergency Procedures
• Equipment
• Responsibilities of the Leader
• Group Management
• Access, Conservation and Environmental Knowledge
• Weather
Detailed information on each of the above topics can be found in the Hill and Moorland Leader candidate handbook and the onus is on you to be competent in all of them by the time you come to assessment.
Is this course for me?
To get started on the Hill and Moorland Leader qualification you need to meet the following prerequisites:
• You must be at least 18 years old
• You should have at least a year’s worth of experience of hill walking
• You should have an interest in leading groups in the hills
• You must be a member of a mountaineering council: BMC, Mountaineering Scotland or Mountaineering Ireland (you can join one when you register if you're not already a member) - find out why
If you can tick all of the above boxes, here's what to do next:
Register for the Hill and Moorland Leader scheme
Register now
What does the cost include?
General; Transport, instruction and all specific technical equipment
Accommodation; Included
Catering; Fully catered
What Equipment do I need to bring?
• Bring any of your own personal outdoor clothing and kit such as:
• Waterproof Jacket and trousers*
• Boots* or walking shoes
• Warm layers
• Fleece Jacket
• Hat & Gloves
• Head torch*
• Flask & water bottle
• 40L rucksack & liner*
• First Aid kit
• Notebook and pencil
• Items marked * can be borrowed from TNOC stores
