The Hill and Moorland Leader scheme enables experienced hill walkers to lead groups on day walks in the hills and moorlands of the United Kingdom and Ireland in summer conditions.
Scope of the scheme
A qualified Hill and Moorland Leader can lead others on day walks in hill and moorland environments. Qualification holders are able to manage groups safely during this activity.
Terrain
Hills and moorlands in the UK and Ireland meeting the following criteria:
- Open, uncultivated, non-mountainous high or remote country known variously as upland, moor, bog, fell, hill or down.
- Areas enclosed by well-defined geographical or man-made boundaries such as classified roads.
- Areas of remoteness that are easily exited in a few hours, returning to a refuge or an accessible road.
- Areas where movement on steep or rocky terrain is not required (in either a planned or unplanned situation)
Such areas may often be subject to hostile weather conditions and require an element of self-sufficiency. This is reflected in the syllabus of this scheme.
Exclusions
The scheme does not cover;
- Areas that merge with mountain regions and do not have well defined boundaries.
- Walks undertaken in winter conditions. This scheme does not provide training or assessment of the skills required to cope with the hazards of winter conditions, particularly lying snow and ice. ‘Summer conditions’ are defined by the conditions prevailing and not by the calendar.
Registration
Candidate requirements
- Candidates must be 18.
- Candidates must have a year’s personal experience of hill walking.
- Candidates must have a genuine interest in hill walking and leading groups in this terrain.
- Candidates must be a member of a mountaineering council (British Mountaineering Council, Mountaineering Ireland, Mountaineering Scotland)
Training course
Candidate requirements
- Candidates must be registered on the scheme.
- Candidates must have an up to date logbook (preferably DLOG) with evidence of 20 varied Quality Hill Days minimum.
Minimum course duration
- 30 hours.
- Delivered in a 3 day programme.
- Programme can be split into 2 x 2 day events delivered within a three-month period.
Group Size
- 2 candidates minimum.
- 12 candidates maximum.
Course staffing
- 1 staff : 6 candidates max.
- Course director must hold the Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor/International Mountain Leader (or higher) plus national Mountain Training organisation requirements.
- Additional staff must hold the Hill and Moorland Leader (or higher) plus national Mountain Training organisation requirements.
Assessment course
Candidate requirements
- Candidates must have attended a Hill and Moorland Leader training course (or have been granted exemption)
- Candidates must be familiar with the syllabus
- Candidates must have an up to date logbook (preferably DLOG) with evidence of 40 varied Quality Hill Days in three different regions of the UK and Ireland (see Appendix for definition). This is a minimum requirement. Other personal walking and leadership experience is useful but not essential.
- Candidates must have physically attended and completed (i.e. not online) a first aid course which involved at least two full days or sixteen hours of instruction and included an element of assessment.
Minimum course duration
- 30 hours.
- Delivered in a 3 day programme.
- Programme can be split into 2 x 2 days events delivered within a one month period.
Group size
- 2 candidates minimum.
- 12 candidates maximum.
Course staffing
- 1 staff : 4 candidates max.
- Course director must hold the Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor/International Mountain Leader (or higher) plus national Mountain Training organisation requirements.
- Additional staff must hold the Hill and Moorland Leader (or higher) plus national Mountain Training organisation requirements.
