Register
Key info

Min. age for training: 18
Min. age for assessment: 18
Training: 3 days
Assessment: 3 days

Average time from training to passing assessment: 1.4 years

Ideal for: People who lead groups in the hills, might venture away from obvious paths but won’t encounter mountain hazards like steep rocky ground. Commonly used in terrain that presents an intermediate level of challenge, for example Dartmoor, the Peak District, North York Moors, Pentland Hills and the Sperrins.

 

Hill and Moorland Leader courses delivered by Mountain Training England are regulated by Ofqual.

Entry requirements



To register
  • You must be at least 18 years old
  • You should have at least a year’s worth of hill walking experience
  • You should have an interest in leading groups in the hills
  • You must be a member (club or individual) of a mountaineering council (BMC, Mountaineering Ireland, Mountaineering Scotland). Find out why this is required
  • You must create an account on our system and register for the Hill and Moorland Leader qualification (cost: £69)
To book a training course
  • You must be registered on the Hill and Moorland Leader scheme (see above)
  • You must have recorded a minimum of 20 quality hill days* (ideally these will be recorded on DLOG**) which can have taken place at any point pre- or post-registration

To book an assessment course
  • You must be at least 18 years old
  • You must have completed a Hill and Moorland Leader training course (or a Mountain Leader training course)
  • You must be familiar with the syllabus
  • You must have recorded a minimum of 40 quality hill days in at least three upland areas of the UK or Ireland
  • You must have a current first aid certificate, gained by completing an in-person (not online) course which involved at least two full days or sixteen hours of instruction and included an element of assessment.
Courses

Training and assessment courses are delivered by our approved providers in appropriate hill and moorland terrain in the UK or Ireland. A variety of cost packages are available, depending on what's included (food, accommodation etc) so you can choose one that's right for you.

 

Training

Hill and Moorland Leader training lasts for three days and will cover:

  • The Hill and Moorland Leader syllabus
  • What to expect at assessment
  • Feedback on your performance and areas to focus on prior to assessment

 

Syllabus

  • Leader responsibilities
  • Leadership and decision making
  • Planning and weather
  • Hazards and emergency procedures
  • Equipment
  • Walking skills
  • Navigation
  • Teaching and learning skills
  • Access, conservation and the environment
  • Background knowledge

 

Consolidation

After completing a training course, use the feedback from your course director and the skills checklist (download below) to identify syllabus areas you need to practise.

Our membership association (Mountain Training Association) offers peer-led learning opportunities and formal workshops on a range of topics, from navigation to leadership skills, to help you during this phase.


Join our association

 

Assessment

The Hill and Moorland Leader assessment is three days long. You will be assessed against the syllabus competencies in the candidate handbook. At the end of the assessment you will receive one of three results:

  • Pass
  • Defer (requires a partial reassessment)
  • Fail (requires a full reassessment
Resources

Candidate handbook last updated: August 2025

Hill and Moorland Leader candidate handbook
Hill and Moorland Leader skills checklist
Hill and Moorland Leader - guidance notes for trainers and assessors
Meet a leader

Other qualifications

Doesn't sound like the right qualification for you? Consider the following:

Lowland Leader

Mountain Leader

Which qualification is for me?

Find a course
Join our association