Join our one-day practical intermediate navigation course, perfect for those who have some basic experience of map and compass navigation.  This course can be taken as a stand alone course but also builds on the skills learned on the introductory course. 

You will enhance your skills and by the end of the day confidently leave the paths behind and begin to navigate across open moorland. Immerse yourself in a full-day navigation adventure starting in Edale, in the Dark Peak. 

The day kicks off with introductions and a review of the basics while we embark on a journey through low level fields before moving onto the edges of the high moorland of the Dark Peak where we may encounter mist and poorer conditions where you can test your skills. 

The pace of the day will be comfortable, with plenty of stops to talk about map reading techniques whilst allowing you to use the equipment and your new skills. 

The course includes looking at the following topics :

• Maps and scales (1:50,000; 1:25,000 and 1:40,000 scales)
• Map symbols and features
• Maps grid system, taking a grid reference and distance 
• Setting and orienting your map using land features and your compass
• Review of ‘handrail’ features and the use of land features to locate yourself during your route
• Understanding contours, relief, aspect and elevation 
• Practical compass use (and other navigation tools including GPS and altimeters)
• Taking bearings from the map and walking on them including aiming off and attack points
• In this course we introduce the concept of pacing and timing techniques
• Relocation techniques using various of the skills learned 
• Use of location and mapping apps in your navigation 
• Emergency procedures including escape plans

The course runs for 6 hours and is timed for your convenience.

Cost: £75 per person (min 2, max 6 people)  or £140 for 1:1

Please email dan @sevenhillsoutdoors.co.uk or enquire through our enquiry form for more detail or to book.

This 1 day course based on or around Kinder Scout or Bleaklow in the Peak District is intended for experienced and confident hill walkers who already feel comfortable map reading but wish to take their skills to another level.   This course can be taken as a stand alone course but also builds on the skills learned on the intermediary course. 

This area of the Peak District is perfect for advanced navigation being remote and often featureless. If you’re preparing for a mountain marathon or want a refresh before your mountain leader assessment this is the course for you. 

The day kicks off with a review of the basics before embarking on a moorland journey where we will seek out more complex and difficult navigational terrain and contour features. 

As with all of our courses the pace of the day will be comfortable, with plenty of stops to discuss map reading techniques and use the equipment and your new skills.  

The course includes looking at the following topics :

• Review of maps and scales (1:50,000; 1:25,000 and 1:40,000 scales)
• Review of map symbols and features
• Review of ‘handrail’ features and locating yourself from land features 
• Review of the maps grid system and grid references
• Understanding contours, relief, and elevation 
• Understanding slope aspect and relationship to the map
• Practical advanced compass use (and other navigation tools including GPS and altimeters)
• Taking bearings from the map and walking on them over longer distances, aiming off and attack points
• Taking bearings from the ground and relating to the map
• Relocation using ground features, back bearings, resection, aspect of slope and elevation
• Pacing and timing techniques including over steeper ground
• An examination of navigation strategies in poor weather and/or darkness
• Route planning and the impact of weather 
• Emergency procedures and escape plans

The course runs for 6 hours and is timed for your convenience.

Cost £80 per person (min 2, max 4 people) or £150 for 1:1

Please email dan @sevenhillsoutdoors.co.uk or enquire through our enquiry form for more detail or to book.

Having the ability to navigate in reduced visibility and at night is incredibly empowering (and fun!).  Whether you’re preparing for a night time running event, want to get more out of the day as the nights draw in or want the confidence of having the ability to get yourself off the hill if things went wrong , then this course is for you. 

Our night navigation sessions are run after the clock’s go back to make the most of the earlier dark nights and usually run for 3 to 4  hours starting at 7pm.  We’ll meet on the edge of Kinder Scout or Bleaklow in the Dark Peak and then head out across the hills in the darkness. 

During the session we’ll take a  look at some of the advanced navigation course topics but there’ll be much more emphasis on micro-navigation including:

• In this course there will be much more focus on pacing and timing techniques 
• Identifying features on the ground to the map and the map to the ground – in the dark!
• Examination of navigation strategies and relocation in darkness, and poor weather
• Emergency procedures and escape plans

Cost £50 per person (max 4 people, no minimum numbers) 

Please email dan @sevenhillsoutdoors.co.uk or enquire through our enquiry form for more detail or to book.