Mountain Skills Courses

To meet the needs of the the hill walker who wants to be come an independent walker, develop skills, lead others or prep for an assessment we offer the following courses:

A practical one day course for beginners, taking the mystery out of maps. Covering all you need to know about maps and map reading. Small Ratios 1:6 to maximise learning.

Topics covered will include:

Feature identification, finding direction, understanding scale, measuring distance, grid references, contours, map orientation. Introduction to the compass. What to do when lost and planning a safe walk

Develops and consolidates the skills learnt on the introductory course and further develops compass skills such as taking and walking on a bearings and introduces pacing, estimating time and distance.

For those who have completed the further navigation course and consolidated their skills, this course has been designed to give you the opportunity to try your skills in the dark mimicking bad weather or getting benighted.

This course is designed for those who want to develop their confidence in the mountains so they can become more independent walkers.

Topics covered will include

Introduction of map reading skills, clothing and equipment, interpretation and importance of weather forecasts, pace setting, use of poles, negotiating steep and rough ground, dealing with emergencies, Ratio 1:8

If you have ever thought you might like to lead groups in the mountains and wonder were to start, then this is the course for you.

The course will covers:

A personal plan with stepping stones to doing the Mountain Leader Award, the following skills will be honed navigating in all conditions, what are and how to deal with mountain hazards, steep ground work, group management and awareness of environmental issues. Other topics looked at by request.

These days are designed to make a positive contribution to your development as an all- round hillwalker. You will be given the opportunity to develop techniques and skills, practice existing ones and where possible experience new terrain.

You will take part in the planning and leadership, navigate away from paths, journey time will be approx. 6 hours and challenging.

Interested in our Mountain Skills Courses?
The Mourne Mountains offers great terrain for developing your skills under our expert tutelage. Please contact us for more information…

For more info on our services then please do not hesitate to call us on

+44 (0)77 4028 5794

Alternatively you can email us via info@mountainsojourns.co.uk. We look forward to hearing from you!