Navigation Bronze & Advanced Hill Skills Courses combined

Are you interested in learning how to use a map and compass or brushing up your map reading skills? Want to go independent hill walking? These two combined courses will enable you to learn the necessary skills to navigate safely, enjoy a day and/or obtain a recognised certificate (a Bronze Award) from the National Navigation Award Scheme (NNAS). You will then have the opportunity to put into practice everything you have learnt on the Bronze course. 

Despite GPS technology, which we’ll discuss and demonstrate, traditional map and compass skills remain an integral part of safe hill walking. These practical courses will guide you through all the essential map and compass competencies you require to navigate your walking safely and confidently. Our new Advanced Hill Skills course will enable you to take on fresh challenges in the hills. 

Navigation Course – Bronze Award (Grade 4)

This course is aimed at beginners, or those wishing to improve their rusty skills and covers all the NNAS Bronze syllabus and overlaps with some aspects of the Silver syllabus. At the end of the course you’ll have the opportunity to be assessed and to receive the NNAS Bronze award or just to take the experience gained to help you in your own forays into the hills. This course combines setting the map, identifying features, interpreting contours, taking and following a compass bearing, estimating distance travelled, identifying a practical route, understanding map scales, distances, symbols and grid references. We’ll introduce you to the most important navigation skills such as: setting the map, identifying features, interpreting contours, taking and following a compass bearing, estimating distance travelled, identifying a practical route, understanding maps scales, distances, symbols and grid references. 

Advanced Hill Skills (Grade 4)

This break aims to give you the opportunity to spend three walking days putting the navigation you have learnt over the previous few days into practical use. The skills you will learn from this break, aim to give you the confidence and competence for independent travel in the hills. 

Our course instructor will cover with you journey planning, the correct equipment and clothing you should have, discussions on how the weather can impact your walk and planning your walk. Our instructor will go through various emergency scenarios and talk about the procedures and protocols which should be followed to stay safe, navigation tips will be provided and also environmental factors to be aware of when out walking. 

Unlike the Bronze Navigation course you have just completed, there is no assessment element to this part of your time at Hassness Country House.