Winter moorland walking leader training

Training to prepare delegates for the winter moorland walking leader assessment.

This is a residential course. Candidates are invited to register between 5.15 – 6.00pm on Friday evening.  All meals from Friday dinner to Sunday lunch are provided.  Accommodation will be in shared single-sex dorms.

Participants that have not already registered with the South West Moorland Leader Scheme will be charged a one-off registration fee of £30 +VAT.  Details of which will be sent to participants after the course booking is made.

SYLLABUS
The following syllabus content is additional to that of the Summer Moorland Walking Leader Syllabus, and is intended to build on the knowledge, skills and competence of leaders operating at that level and needs to be completed over a minimum of a 21 hour training course. Alternatively candidates may complete an MLTE training course and relate the skills to the winter moorland situation.

(a) Leadership

i) Planning
- aims and purpose of the venture
- route choice – distance related to short days and weather conditions
- obtaining forecasts, their interpretation and an understanding of their effect in winter and influence on journey planning

ii) Equipment
- adequate personal clothing for any conditions likely to be encountered
- emergency personal and group equipment, sufficient to meet the needs of the venture.

iii) Navigation
- Confident and accurate navigation to Summer Moorland Leader Level
- Demonstrate the use of contours to identify landforms (e.g hilltops, valleys, spurs, re-entrants and knolls) and utilize them as the prime method of navigation.
- Demonstrate the use of ridges and valleys as reliable handrails and the size and relationship of contour features and use them for micro navigation to specific locations
- Demonstrate the use of distance judgement, compass skills and continuous contact (by frequent checking) in complicated areas. This involves the use of both map to ground and ground to map techniques, the selection of appropriate techniques for each situation and the integration of these into a navigation strategy.
- Ability to navigate in poor weather using coarse and fine navigation features and strategies.
- Demonstrate the ability to navigate in darkness using coarse navigation features and strategies.

iv) Risk Management
- an awareness of hazards associated with moorland walking in winter conditions.
- coping with illness and injury including hypothermia in remote and inhospitable environments
- familiarity with MRC search procedures
- emergency bivouac skills
- procedure for coping with remotely supervised group off route
- near miss analysis

v) Access and Conservation of the Environment
- awareness of increased risk of damage to the upland environment in winter

PREREQUISITES FOR TRAINING
1. Minimum age of candidate – 18. (In exceptional circumstances an application may be made by candidates in their 18th year to the nominated person of the Local Operating Authority.)
2. Must have completed Summer moorland walking leader assessment.
3. Candidates on this course should have previously registered for the SWMML training scheme (additional fee of £30 plus VAT). To check email: [email protected]