When time and money are short, you want to make sure you invest it wisely. But how do you know where to start? Our infographics might help, but if not, consider the following:
Why do you want a qualification?
Each of our schemes, whether it’s about personal skills or a qualification, has a particular focus so it’s a good idea to think about what you want to do in order to find the right one.
To be independent in the outdoors
If independence is what you're looking for, you might not need a qualification at all.
In the hills - a Hill Skills course is a great introduction to independent hill walking for people who want to learn the basics in order to have their own adventures.
In the mountains - a Mountain Skills course is really useful for people who want to venture into steeper terrain and it will cover the skills required to enjoy the mountains safely.
Rock climbing outdoors - there are four Rock Skills courses so you can choose the right level for you: Introduction, Intermediate, Learn to Lead Sport Climbs and Learn to Lead Trad Climbs.
To lead groups of walkers
Where do you want to lead them? Our qualifications are all designed around the type of terrain you'll be leading in.
To instruct climbing indoors
Climbing on artificial walls is a popular way to start climbing and there are various options for people wanting to get involved in teaching practical skills to others.
To instruct climbing outdoors
Climbing on real rock and ice is quite different to climbing on artificial walls and many people love the different challenges they bring. Due to the varied terrain and conditions associated with climbing outdoors, there are four different qualifications available.
To coach climbing
Coaching climbing is all about developing people's climbing skills to help them improve their performance. Good movement technique, tactics, physical training and psychology are all part of the puzzle.
What experience do you have?
Experience is the cornerstone of all of our schemes so it’s important to identify what you have already done and what you can realistically gain in the near(ish) future.
None/not very much
Walking - If the answer to question number one is ‘relatively little’, then you might be better off starting with a skills course. Our Hill & Mountain Skills scheme is a great opportunity for new walkers to start gaining some skills and experience as it focuses on helping you become an independent walker. There are two courses (Hill Skills and Mountain Skills) so you can choose the right level for you.
Climbing - If you’d like to get involved in climbing there are a few places you can start, one of which is our Rock Skills scheme; four courses for new or developing rock climbers designed to help you progress towards independence. Rock Skills Introduction, Intermediate, Learn to Lead Sport Climbs or Learn to Lead Trad Climbs.
Some hill walking or indoor climbing experience
Walking – If you have some experience of walking on marked footpaths along the coast or in the hills of the UK or Ireland you may be in a position to train as a Lowland Leader, or a Hill and Moorland Leader. As their names suggest, the main difference between these two schemes is the terrain they cover but there’s also a difference in the level of navigation required; Lowland Leaders tend to stick to marked footpaths whereas Hill and Moorland Leaders have the skills to navigate away from the path as they may find themselves in more remote areas.
Climbing – If you'd like to support a qualified instructor to deliver climbing sessions, our Indoor Climbing Assistant qualification is a good place to start. It's a combined training and assessment course covering common tasks including running a warm up, fitting equipment and backing up a rope line.
If you have experience of climbing at different walls and want to take on more responsibility you may want to consider the Climbing Wall Instructor qualification which is all about supervising safe, engaging climbing sessions. Foundation Coaches are often Climbing Wall Instructors and they focus on coaching the fundamentals of climbing movement. Progression might involve the Climbing Wall Development Instructor and/or Development Coach schemes.
