Hill Skills
During two fun and action packed days on the Hill Skills course, we will equip you with the skills and knowledge to safely undertake hill walks in the upland areas of the UK.
Absolutely no experience of hill walking or navigation is required prior to a hill skills course. We spend approximately four to five hours walking on each day. By the end of the course, you will be able to confidently navigate a route on paths / tracks.
The Hill Skills course is nationally accredited by Mountain Training and Beyond the Edge are one of the UKs most experienced providers of Mountain Training courses. Our courses are both highly informative and run by hugely experienced trainers. Importantly in our opinion, they are also fun and run in a friendly manner. We take great pride in the very high percentage of individuals who return for further courses.
For some of our Hill Skills courses we would like to offer a space where women can develop and practice their skills in a women’s only environment, learning from female instructors. We have tried to offer these as open dates, but with minimal uptake, now only run women only courses on request.
You can view a short video about the course below;
Hill Skills – Course Format
Over the two days which run from 09:00 to 17:00 we will cover;
Planning – how to successfully plan a hill walk in the UK or Ireland.
Walking skills – what things should you consider while out walking and what can make life easier (pace, nutrition, movement skills etc.).
Clothing and equipment – being suitably dressed and equipped can make the difference between a great day out and a complete disaster.
Weather – how it affects the hills and your day out.
Navigation in the hills – everything from selecting a compass to navigation strategies and an intro to GPS.
Environmental knowledge – how to minimise your impact on the hill and information on good practice and useful organisations.
Hazards and emergency procedures in the hills – how to respond to any hazards you encounter and what to do in an emergency.
Course Details
- Location: Peak District
- Cost: £165 per person
- Duration: 2 days
- Ratio: 1:8
- Level: Introduction
More Information
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Course Dates
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Bespoke Dates and Locations
If there are two or more of you that would like to take the course, but there are no suitable dates available, or you would like to take the course in a different area, please contact the office and we will arrange something to suit your requirements.
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Meeting Point
The course will meet at The Sir William Hotel at 0900 in the village of Grindleford. The village has good bus and train links with Sheffield and good train links to Manchester.
The hotel has ample free parking.
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Equipment Required
A detailed equipment list is contained in the joining instructions. Essentially, you need to be self sufficient for a day in the mountains. We will provide all the group safety equipment.
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Fitness Level
You certainly don’t have to be super fit to enjoy this course, and average general fitness is quite sufficient.
We spend approximately 5 hours walking each day at a relatively slow pace as we try to learn skills not clock up miles.
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Accommodation Options
This Beyond the Edge course is non-residential to allow you to select between a thermarest or 5 star hotel as you require.
There is lots of accommodation in the Hope Valley and we recommend The Sir William which offers BtE clients a discount and this course runs from there.
Further details and other options are listed on our Accommodation page.
If you are struggling to find something or want something special, contact the office and we will endeavour to assist.
FAQs
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How do I book ?
The best way is via this webpage. Choose the date from the options on the above and then submit your booking. You only need to pay the deposit if your course is more than six weeks away.
For bespoke events get in touch first so we can check diaries and if required give you a quote. Get in touch by either calling the office on 01142 631 155 or emailing us.
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Does the course include accommodation ?
Not usually! We prefer to let you choose where you will be most comfortable. This may be in a tent or in a luxury hotel.
In the Peak District we work out of the The Sir William hotel. This is a comfortable Inn with stunning views over the Hope valley and it also serves great food. We recommend that you stay here as they are well versed in looking after walkers and climbers, offer a discount to BtE clients and it’s a 30 second commute from the breakfast table to our meeting room! Further details are listed on our accommodation page.
If this doesn’t suit you for whatever reason, further accommodation options can be found on our accommodation page.
For bespoke courses and events we can arrange whatever you desire from a bivouac under the stars to a spa hotel.
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Children, Parking, Dogs, COVID and everything else...
You will find all of the most frequently asked questions and their answers on our FAQ webpage.
