Walking Group Leader Training

This three day course is intended for experienced walkers who wish to become leaders in the British lowlands and moorland. Its aim is to address the technical skills, judgement and areas of knowledge which will make you a safe leader, and which you will need to practice before returning for assessment.

Pre-requisites

The MTLE strictly requires that all students are registered prior to commencing the course and have completed at least twenty hill walking days. The Board will not recognise completion of the course by non-registered participants. Copies of the syllabus, and details of how to register are available from the MLTE. Please bring your logbook to the course fully completed with your experience. You will benefit most from the course if you are fit and have some experience of using a map and compass in the mountain environment. A copy of the WGL handbook can be found on the Award Information page.

Contacted details for registration and syllabus enquiries can be found at www.mlte.org

Course Content

The training course will follow the MLTE Walking Group Leader syllabus. In particular it will look at practical skills and techniques required when leading and supervising groups in open country, concentrating on areas that the board feels it is difficult for candidates to learn on their own. The programme may be revised at short notice to take account of weather and other considerations, in such a way as to satisfy the spirit and detail of the Walking Group Leader syllabus.

The course is three days long. Each day we will begin by looking at the weather forecast, then discussing the destination and equipment requirements for the day. The days usually take the following form:

A practical hill day

Navigational skills using 1:50000 maps.
Group management and leadership issues.
Route choice.
Hazard identification and avoidance.
Access and environmental issues.

More Centre based day, a shorter time spent on the hill

Group and leaders equipment.
Navigational skills using 1:25000 maps.
Campcraft.
Supervision and use of stoves and tents.
Organisation and the overnight experience.
Bunkhouse and hut accommodation.
Common problems and scenarios faced by leaders in the hills.
Problem prevention.
Hazards.
Casualty carries.
Search techniques.

Second practical hill day

Consolidation of navigation skills, plus skills for poor visibility.
Putting all the skills together.
Navigational skills using both 1:25000 and 1:50000 maps.
Route choice.
Questions forum, course de-brief and individual feedback.

In addition, there will be evening classroom or centre based sessions, covering some of the more theoretical aspects of the syllabus. We intend to look at the following areas:

Leaders responsibilities.
Preparation and planning.
Risk assessment and risk management.
Legal liability and insurance.
Access developments, environmental bodies, and conservation issues.
Unaccompanied journeys and remote supervision.

All of our members are dedicated mountaineers and hillwalkers with a great depth of knowledge of the area, and will be keen to pass on their knowledge to you.

The day begins with breakfast and collection of packed lunches at 7:30am. After an 8:30am briefing we commence the day about 9:00am returning from a full day of activity for tea and cakes by 5pm. Some evenings there will be a further session, usually classroom based, at 5.30pm. Dinner is normally at about 7pm, and on some nights there will be a further talks at 8pm.

The Venue

The venues used are normally either one of the Scout Association Centres in South Wales or one of the Hampshire County Council Centres These are all within the Brecon Beacons National Park.

The hills and moorland of South and mid-Wales provide ideal ground for this award.

The Accommodation

Accommodation varies between the centres but all the centres provide, multiple toilets and shower rooms, a large kitchen that conforms to food safety standards and a dining room. In addition some centres have a further lounge, ideal for lectures or socialising.

Catering

Breakfast and dinner are served each day in the centre, except for the evening for the overnight experience. Each night there is a main course and dessert (including vegetarian option, if pre booked). Each morning bread, fruit, cake and biscuits etc. will be laid out, for you to make up a packed lunch. Food will be provided for the overnight experience.

Equipment

At this level we expect students to have most of their own equipment and should bring with them all the necessary camping equipment required for this course. However, it is possible to borrow technical gear from our stores if necessary. As me may visit any of a number of different venues, we do not expect you to buy maps, and will provide them. Should you require more information on the equipment required please contact us.
The following list is a suggestion of what you should bring:

Kit List

Personal walking clothing: Small firstaid kit
Gaiters: Notebook and Pens
Waterproof top and bottoms: Water bottle
Personal toiletries and medication: Head Torch
Hat and gloves: Vacuum flask
Informal clothing for leisure wear: Compass
Day rucksack with liner: Walking boots
Small amount of cash: WGL Logbook

More information on equipment can be found on the 'Notes for course participants' page.

Useful books

It is highly recommended that you should read through the relevant chapters in Hillwalking by Steve Long in preparation for the more theoretical aspects of the course.

Hillwalking: by Steve Long (UKMTB official pub.)
Looking at Weather: by Ingrid Holfard
Mountain Navigation: by Peter Cliff
Mountain Weather: by Pedgley
Weather for Hillwalkers & Climbers: by M Thomas
Website of the MLTE: www.mlte.org