Mountain Leader qualification | Mountain Training

Key info

Min. age for training: 18
Min. age for assessment: 18
Training: 6 days
Assessment: 5 days

Average time from training to passing assessment: 3.3 years

Ideal for: People who want to take groups into the mountains for single or multi-day hikes.

Mountain 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 mountain walking experience You should have an interest in leading groups in the mountains 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 Mountain Leader qualification (cost: £69)
To book a training course	You must be registered on the Mountain Leader scheme (see above) You must have recorded a minimum of 20 quality mountain 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 have completed a Mountain Leader training course You must be familiar with the syllabus You must have recorded a minimum of 40 quality mountain days in at least three regions of the UK or Ireland You must have logged at least 8 nights camping, including at least 4 nights wild camping 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.

*What is a quality mountain day?

**DLOG is the digital logbook on our system, which you will be able to access once you have registered on a qualification.

Register now

Courses

Find a course

Training and assessment courses are delivered by our approved providers in mountainous 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

Mountain Leader training lasts for six days, including a two day expedition with an overnight camp, and will cover:

The Mountain Leader syllabus
What to expect at assessment
Feedback 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
Expedition skills
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 Mountain Leader assessment is five days long, including a three day expedition with two overnight camps. 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: