Climbing Munro's in the Coulin Estate near Torridon
A group rises above the could on Beinn Alligin - work here as a Mountain Leader
Practising Mountain Leaders Rope work
The Mountain Leader Training Course is a 6 day course designed to train you in all the skills needed to lead groups on walks in the mountains throughout the UK in summer. The course is nationally recognised and fully comprehensive. It includes 4 individual full days out in the mountains, a 2 day camping expedition and evening talks. Practical skills covered within the course include navigation with a map and compass, GPS, river crossings, rope work, steep terrain and group management. You will also learn about safe and responsible access to the mountains; understanding the weather, access laws and route planning. Lastly, we hope to develop your environmental knowledge, looking at and identifying a variety of flora and fauna.
This course is an excellent training course for anyone looking to increase their understanding and experience within the mountains. It is attended by many people for personal development or to deepen their enjoyment and love of the mountains. Additionally, once complete and after a consolidation period, those looking to become a qualified Mountain Leader can then undertake an assessment course. You can find out more about the Mountain Leader Qualification here – The Mountain Leader Award Resources and Information.
We want everyone who attends our Mountain Leader Training to be able to fully engage with the course. Therefore, we provide accommodation for the duration of the course and all maps throughout. Additionally, a copy of The Official Handbook of the Mountain Training Walking Schemes (Hillwalking by Steve Long) and a comprehensive information pack, including kit list, will be sent to you when you book.
This is an official Mountain Training qualification course, as such you must complete all the steps below to be officially registered to undertake the course.
The steps are simple, although they can appear a little daunting at first. Therefore, we have created a guide to assist you and make this process stress free. Download the guide here.
In addition to the steps above you must have a minimum of 20 “Quality Mountain Days” before your training course.
Read more about the definition of a Quality Mountain Day in our Mountain Leader resources section here
Throughout the course we will cover the full Mountain Leader Training Syllabus, which includes the following:
Each of our courses are flexible and unique, however, to view an example day-to-day itinerary please click here
Our Mountain Leader Training Courses all come with self catering accommodation located within easy access of The Torridon Mountains. The accommodation is spacious and contains a very well equipped kitchen, a washing machine and dryer within a utility room. The utility room is extremely useful for drying kit! There is also broadband Wifi throughout. The large, comfortable sitting room provides the perfect area for indoor presentations and briefings throughout the course.
Accommodation is provided from 18:00 on the evening before your course starts and is available until 9:00 in the morning after your course finishes. As standard, all rooms are provided on a twin share basis. Therefore, if you are booking the course by yourself, you will be paired with another person of the same sex to share a twin bedroom. Additionally, we do have limited availability to offer a single supplement for anyone who would prefer a single room. Please do get in contact for more details of this.
See our accommodation section for more information
Our Mountain Leader Courses are based in Torridon, in the Highlands of Scotland. It is a fantastic location for both ML Training and Assessments. We have access to some of the most incredible mountains in the whole of the UK. The terrain is of great variety, offering excellent locations for learning and practising the full range of navigation techniques. There is no shortage of challenging steep ground and rivers that we can utilise to carefully explore the hazards of the mountain environment. Additionally, we have some of the best wildlife areas in the country, with The Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve right on our doorstep. Our two day expedition will be true wild camping; our wild camping locations can be further from the road than possible anywhere else in the UK.
Alongside the mountainous terrain being world-class, we are so fortunate to be in an area that remains blissfully quiet. Car parking is not a problem here and the hills remain peaceful. This is possibly due to having one of the lowest population densities in Europe, with just 1.6 people per km2! The Highlands are also well known for their hospitality. In fact, some of our clients include their ML Training course as part of a longer holiday here. It’s such a special part of the UK that it is well worth exploring the area for as much time as you have available.
All the dates on our website are for open courses that any member of the public can book on to. However, we can also offer private courses for groups wishing to complete their Mountain Leader Training on a date to suit. Please get in contact if you are interested in arranging a private course.
The Mountain Leader Training course is just one of the many courses that we run. To find out which dates these courses are available on and to book, see our dates and pricing information on the link here
Mountain Training is committed to ensuring that everyone has equal opportunity to attend its courses. We at Climb Torridon wholeheartedly agree with this. Therefore, if you have a particular need that requires extra assistance, please discuss it with us before booking onto a course. All candidates must be able to meet the criteria of the syllabus independently to gain the qualification. However, reasonable adjustments can be made so that you can access courses and have the opportunity to demonstrate attainment.
Common examples of requirements which Mountain Training and Climb Torridon can accommodate include:
All our Mountain Leader Training courses have a large amount of flexibility within the daily itinerary. Factors including the weather and the group ability will determine how each course is delivered. Our evening sessions are also flexible. Sometimes our evening topics will be covered while out on the hill and thus an alternative topic may be covered during the evening. However, below is a general idea of what you may experience on your Mountain Leader Training Course.
We will begin the day with an introduction to the qualification, the group and the course instructors. Once out in the mountains we will be focusing today on navigation. You will learn how to use a map and compass and gain an understanding of the various features of a map. We will look closely at the techniques and skills we can use to refine our navigation in both simple and more challenging terrain. A running theme through the entire course will be how we operate within a leadership context and today we will begin to consider this in regards to navigating. As we journey around we will also consider the environment within which we are engaging, including the mountain flora, fauna, conservation and access.
Evening Talk: The Mountain Environment including access and conservation
Every day on the Mountain Leader Training Course we will be discussing group management, it is such an important part of the ML Training. However, today this will be a key focus. We will be considering factors such as group kit, ability, dynamix and our responsibility to a group as a leader. Throughout the day we will also be continuing to develop navigation as well as identifying geographical features. Taking into consideration the processes that shaped the land all around us.
Evening Session: Legal Responsibilities of a Group Leader
Today we will be looking at ropework. For some people this will be a completely new concept, others may be more familiar. We will tailor this day to the experience level of the group to ensure everyone has the opportunity to learn within their own comfort level. You will learn how to tie basic and effective knots, practice rope handling skills and consider when and how these techniques become appropriate to use. We will also consider a range of other mountain hazards, including river crossings, loose rock and animals. Additionally we will explore how we would effectively manage emergency situations, discussing first aid and the role of the mountain rescue.
Evening Session: An opportunity to practise additional ropework
Today we will be putting all the ropework techniques that you learnt yesterday into practice. Heading out in the glorious and technical mountains of Torridon, we will have plenty of steep and complex ground to enjoy. Today will be a realistic and practical mountain journey. Providing an excellent opportunity to put your newly learnt skills into real life mountain leader experience.
Evening Session: Expedition Prep
Today we will head into some of the most remote and wild mountain terrain in the UK for the first day of our two day/one night expedition. Throughout the day we will have plenty of opportunity to refresh and practise everything you have learned so far. As we head into the afternoon we will set up our tents and discuss the considerations, challenges and advantages of wild camping. Covering topics including how and where to pitch, safe and efficient cooking and food choices, water collection and treatment, hygiene and sanitation. As the evening progresses, we will venture away from our camping site and practice night navigation. Practising techniques that will help make navigation accurate even when dark or in very poor visibility. We will then return to our tents for a good night sleep in the wilderness.
Today we will continue with camp craft as we cook breakfast and pack away our wild camp site in a responsible manner. Ensuring we fully adhere to the “Leave no trace” ethos. We will have further opportunity to practise our group management, navigation and leadership skills as we make our way out of the mountains.
Once back at our accommodation we will have the chance to review the course. Providing individual feedback to help give an indication of the best way to consolidate your training with a view to eventual assessment.
We offer courses with accommodation so you can concentrate on learning and not have to worry about anything else.
The accommodation included with this course is on a self catering, twin sharing basis in Thrail House situated at the head of Glen Torridon. This location provides the perfect base for our Mountain Leader Training courses, being close to the hills and in a beautiful relaxing location.
The accommodation includes shared cooking facilities and lounge for you to relax in after your hill days. There is also a private carpark onsite so travel is simple.
The Mountain Leader Award (or ML Award) is a nationally recognised qualification that is ideal for people who want to take groups into the mountains for single or multi-day hikes.
Minimum age: 18
Pathway to Assessment:
To register for the award you must have the following:
Next you will need to complete 20 Quality Mountain Days (or QMDs). These days can take place at any time; before your registration, after your registration or a bit of both. For a day to qualify as a Quality Mountain Day it must fulfil the following criteria as defined by Mountain Training:
A ‘Quality Mountain Day’ for the Mountain Leader should take place in mountainous terrain in the UK or Ireland.
The quality element lies in such things as the conditions experienced both overhead and underfoot, the exploration of new areas, the terrain covered, the skills deployed and the physical and mental challenge. The experience of a quality day should contribute to knowledge, personal development and associated skill acquisition.
All the following criteria should be fulfilled:
These criteria mean that days as a course member under instruction, a member of a group practising skills, or days spent repeating familiar routes are very unlikely to meet the requirements of a quality day.
Source: https://www.mountain-training.org/help/frequently-asked-questions/what-is-a-quality-day/
Complete a Mountain Leader Training Course. These are six days long and include a two day/one night expedition, covering the full Mountain Leader Training Syllabus. You can find out more and book on to our ML Training Courses here.
After your training course, take the time to put into practice everything you have learnt. The average time between training and assessment is 3.3 years. Use these years to build upon your knowledge of the mountains and gain valuable experience. In addition to gaining personal experience many ML candidates will also gain excellent experience of leading groups. This can be done by contacting guiding companies for opportunities to shadow already qualified Mountain Leaders.
The Mountain Leader assessment is five days long and includes a three day/two night expedition. You can find out more and book onto our ML Assessment here. You will be assessed against the full syllabus which can be found in the candidate handbook. At the end of the assessment you will receive one of three results: Pass, defer (requires a partial reassessment) or fail (requires a full reassessment).
In order to provide the highest level of learning and safety we maintain low ratios for our courses. For our Mountain Leader Training courses we never go beyond a ratio of 1 instructor to 6 clients. These small numbers allow us to make sure you get the tuition you need and the course is tailored around your aspirations whether you’re booked onto an open or private course.
Open course are where you can book onto a date and join other like minded people. These are great for individuals looking to share an experience with others and make new friends. Our open courses are run to a maximum of six individual spaces on each open course to give the perfect balance between a social experience and effective learning in the mountains.
Our six day Mountain Leader Training course is the complete package, covering all the skills needed to lead groups in the mountains and to prepare you for the assessment. The dates below are the course dates, accommodation is available from 6pm on the day prior to the course and until 10am on the day after your course.
| Date | Price |
|---|---|
| 26 Apr 2025 to 1 May 2025 (Accommodation Included) | £900 |
| 28 Jun 2025 to 3 Jul 2025 (Accommodation Included) | £900 |
Prices shown are all per person.
Private courses are aimed at groups, clubs and organisations who are looking to run an Mountain Leader course. These can be run on any dates during the season and will be restricted to those that you want on the course. If you’re an organisation looking to get your staff qualified to lead groups in mountainous terrain then get in touch.
| Ratio | Price |
|---|---|
| 1:4 | £1100 per person |
| 1:5 | £950 per person |
| 1:6 | £800 per person |
| Date | Price |
|---|---|
| 26 Apr 2025 to 1 May 2025 (Accommodation Included) | £900 |
| 28 Jun 2025 to 3 Jul 2025 (Accommodation Included) | £900 |
Prices shown are all per person.