Step Up Your Navigation Course in the Central Peak District

Check-in at the hotel is available from 16:00. If you are a member you can arrive at the house from 14:00. Enjoy a complimentary cream tea at 16:30 and meet other guests.

At 17:00 meet your leader and fellow guests in reception where you will have a welcome to the course.

Our first day will be spent as a refresher day covering some areas of the Bronze Navigator Award syllabus to help prepare you before completing the Silver Navigator Award. Some of the skills you will be covering are: 

• Navigate using a variety of maps and scales. 

• Use 4 and 6 figure grid references with worded descriptions to define the position 
  of a map feature and to locate a feature on the ground. 

• Orientate the map using handrails, obvious point features and major landforms. 

• Use linear features (e.g. paths, tracks, clear boundaries) as handrails in simple 
  navigation exercises. 

• Relate prominent landforms such as large hills and valleys to corresponding 
  contour information on the map. 

• Orientate the map by aligning a compass needle against grid north and be aware 
  that magnetic variation causes an inaccuracy. 

• Use an orientated map to confirm the direction of travel. 

• Use clearly identifiable features to confirm position along the route and to 
  recognise when the target has been overshot. 

Our days will be spent working through a range of practical indoor and outdoor exercises that will help us cover the Silver Navigator Award Syllabus. 

• Utilise the skills and techniques of the Bronze Award in the context of Silver Award navigation strategies. 

• Relate small hills, small valleys, prominent re-entrants and prominent spurs to their corresponding map contours. Use prominent hills, ridges, spurs and valleys as a means of navigation in good visibility. 

• Use landforms and point features to orientate the map and as collecting and catching features. 

• Use a compass to: Accurately follow a bearing; aim off; check the direction of handrails and other linear features. 

• Deviate briefly from a compass bearing to avoid obstacles or difficult terrain and accurately regain the original line. 

• Use back bearings to check route following accuracy. 

• Measure distance on the ground in varied, open terrain using timing and pacing and make practical allowances for any discrepancies. 

• Simplify legs using coarse navigation, attack points and fine navigation. 

• Recognise dangerous or difficult terrain on map and ground. 

• Plan and implement navigational strategies based on the above skills. 

• Maintain route finding accuracy in poor visibility or darkness. 

• Recognise a navigation error within a few minutes and apply appropriate relocation techniques. 

• Understand how personal fitness and nature of terrain affect route choice both at the planning stage and on the ground. 

• Understand the potential consequences of fatigue and physical discomfort in demanding terrain and/or extreme weather conditions. 

• Select appropriate clothing, equipment and first aid items for walking in open country in all weather conditions. 

• Demonstrate an understanding of the Countryside Code, current access legislation and the environmental impact of walkers on the countryside. 

• Understand the responsibilities of walkers towards other countryside interests such as farming, forestry and conservation. 

• Understand how outdoor activities impact on the environment and how that impact can be minimised and sustainable use promoted. 

 Assessment for the Silver award is optional.

Pre course reading material:

OS map reading tips

Countryside Code

Mountain Rescue stay safe fact file

You will be outside for parts of the course and there will be some standing around outside so please bring warm clothing with you. You can expect to walk between 7 to 9 miles each day. 

The course includes map work exercises and walk planning in the evenings. Maps will be provided for use during the course, but you will need to bring a compass we recommend a compass which has a baseplate, 360-degree protractor, map measuring features, plus scales of 1:25k and 1:50k an example compass is the Silva Expedition 4. 

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before making your way home.