Best price guarantee
Best price guarantee
If you’re ready to move your hill walking to the next level but aren’t sure how to go about it then MountainXperience can help. Our Hill and Mountain Skills courses are designed to take those with little or no outdoors skills and turn them into a confident hill walkers and are nationally accredited and developed with Mountain Training.
The course takes place entirely outdoors and covers a range of topics including what clothes you should wear, what equipment you should carry with you, how to plan your day out, what routes you can take, understanding the weather, how to use navigate using paper and digital Ordnance Survey mapping and dealing with emergencies in the outdoors. Our experienced instructors will share their knowledge with you and answer any questions you have about exploring the hills and mountains of the UK.
We run regular public courses in the Snowdonia and Peak District National Parks throughout the year or we can provide a bespoke course for you and your family, small group of friends or whole organisation. If there are two or more of you then we’ll happily put on a private course just for you on a date and location that suits. Prices start from £100 per person on our public courses and private courses start from £300 for up to eight people.
We’ll explain in advance what will happen over the course and ensure you’ve got the right gear for an enjoyable time in the countryside. Our Hill and Mountain Skills courses take place over two days and you’ll need to arrange accommodation and we can often help with recommendations if you’re stuck. The courses are held entirely outdoors so be sure to bring everything you need with you. More information is provided nearer the date.
We’ll meet on the benches around the back of The Penny Pot Cafe at Edale Station.
Thanks for booking on this course. The Hill Skills Award is a great way to become more confident in the outdoors and I’m sure you’ll have a great weekend.
This document contains some important information so please read it thoroughly and get in touch if there’s anything you’re not sure about.
Create an account with Mountain Training
The course is validated by Mountain Training, the awarding body for qualifications in walking, climbing and mountaineering so you need to create an account with them. Please visit https://mt.tahdah.me and create an account with the Tahdah system to get your candidate number. When you've done that please email hello@mountainxperience.uk with your name and candidate number so we can add you to the course. If you already have a Tahdah account through another organisation you don't need to create another - simply email us your existing candidate number.
Where do we need to meet?
We’ll meet on the benches around the back of the Penny Pot Cafe at Edale Station. Edale’s car parks are all within a minute or so’s walk. The cafe will be open so you can get a nice warm drink and some cake to start off the day! They also have bits you can buy for lunch too. We’ll spend the first and last hour of each day sat outside at the cafe so be sure to have an extra warm coat with you for this element of the day.
The main car park in Edale can be found at:
Parking in the main car park costs £6 for the day and can be paid in pound coins or using the PayByPhone app (beware - mobile signal can be sketchy). It can be busy over summer weekends and if it’s full when you get here you can find alternate parking at the railway station and in local farmers’ fields (look out for signs). As always, please try to car share where possible.
There are toilets in the car park but their opening times cannot be guaranteed. There are no other facilities nearby so be sure to bring everything with you.
Is there a book I could buy that will tell me everything I need to know about climbing my first mountain?
What a great question. Yes there is! And it's written by me :) Visit https://www.howtoclimbamountain.uk to find out more and get your signed copy.
What time should we be there?
The course will start at 9am on both days. Please aim to arrive a little earlier to give you time to get ready. We usually finish before 4pm allowing time for lunch.
What do we need to bring with us?
You'll need outdoor kit for a whole weekend in the hills whatever the weather! If you have an Ordnance Survey 1:25 000 Explorer map for the Dark Peak area (OL1) and a compass then please bring them along however I will have map extracts and spare compasses to lend out. If you need reading glasses, bring them along too otherwise you might struggle reading the map!
Remember to bring enough food and drink with you to last the whole weekend.
There’s a full kit list below. Please have a look at the weather before setting off and dress accordingly. Better to have an extra fleece and woolly hat in your bag just in case. Remember we’ll be outdoors all weekend in all weathers so be sure to have the right gear. If it’s looking wet then keeping spares clothes to change into in your car is also a good idea.
What do we do if something goes wrong on the day?
If you’re running late or get lost or need to stop to use the toilet on your way, don’t worry. Please call/WhatsApp Simon on 01248 614120 to keep him updated.
Do we need to let you know about any medical issues?
Yes please. If there's something you think your guide should be aware of please get in touch or have a quiet word on the day.
What if we still have a question?
Please get in touch and ask and I’ll happily help. You can email me at hello@mountainxperience.uk or call/WhatsApp me on 01248 614120.
Get discounts off big brands with Cotswold Outdoor
View Mountain Training Hill & Mountain Skills Cotswold Discount.pdf
