NNAS ‘STRAIGHT TO SILVER’ AWARD

Intermediate Navigation Skills course

This 3-day National Navigation Award Scheme (NNAS) ‘Straight to Silver’ Award is an ideal for people who currently enjoy walking in the countryside and want to develop their skills and confidence further. This ‘Straight to Silver’ course combines the Bronze & Silver Awards in an intensive but enjoyable 3 day course; the Bronze syllabus is covered on the first day, then we move onto the Silver syllabus on the second and third days.

Learning outcomes – plan and follow your own walks in the countryside using paths, tracks and Rights of Way, as well as walks away from paths and tracks for short legs across open country.

THE COMPLETE OUTDOOR SKILLS COURSE

• Learn new outdoor skills
• Be more confident outdoors
• Learn to read and visualise a map
• Move from passively following a phone app to actively navigating
• Know how GPS / mapping apps back up your map & compass
• Learn how to use a compass and take bearings
• Increase your enjoyment of the countryside
• Plan your own walks and not rely on others
• Navigation strategies & decision making
• Route Simplification on the hills – rough and fine navigation
• Accurate distance estimation (visual, timing, pacing)
• Use contours as part of your navigation
• Dealing with poor visibility (mist and darkness)
• Stay safe on the hills
• Explore more and visit new areas
• Leave feeling inspired and ready to do more!
• Gain a National Award (NNAS)

The course combines the NNAS Bronze and Silver awards to give you the skills to navigate in the countryside as well as across the open hills, using more natural features and contours, coupled with compass bearings and good distance estimation. We’ll learn about the upland environment and how to deal with poor visibility, including an evening of night navigation. Our NNAS ‘Straight to Silver’ course will give you the skills you need for the hills.

Learning is informal and relaxed, with plenty of practical experience out on the hills, fells and moors of the Yorkshire Dales, within a small group of up to 8 people. Our NNAS ‘Straight to Silver’ course covers the essential skills and techniques to navigate using Rights of Way (paths and tracks) in the countryside as well as across Open Country away from paths and tracks, using compass bearings and contour interpretation to navigate successfully, even in poor visibility. We cover around 8 miles each day, following paths across farmland, valleys, riversides and woodland, as well as pathless terrain across hills, fells and heather moorlands.

This is an extended NNAS Silver Award delivered over 3 days. The course includes the training for the NNAS Bronze course on Day One and then moves into the training and assessment of the Silver Award on Days Two & Three. There will also be a distance learning Home Study Paper before the course.

NNAS Bronze Award course syllabus
NNAS Silver Award course syllabus

Our courses are based at these Yorkshire Dales villages…

Askrigg, Wensleydale
Sedbergh, Howgill Fells
Hawes, Wensleydale
Kettlewell, Wharfedale
Reeth, Swaledale

TESTIMONIALS

“Attending the NNAS & compass skills courses provided me with the skills, knowledge and confidence to enable me to fulfil my dream of walking the Pennine Way.” Catherine McDonnell

“I am so glad I decided to take the NNAS bronze course. I learnt a huge amount and it has massively boosted both my confidence and my enthusiasm. Quite apart from all that, Mark is an excellent walking companion with interesting views on any subject you care to throw at him.” Nikki Duffy

“Just wanted to say how much we enjoyed the weekend! We both learned a great deal and will be much more confident to try out more adventurous routes in the future. Thanks very much for your expert knowledge and sympathetic tutoring.” A. Bryan

PRE-COURSE

8 Video Tutorials – unlimited access to our online video tutorials. Watching these videos before the course will allow us more practical time outdoors.

• Weather Forecasts & Conditions
• Route Planning (maps & digital)
• Essential Kit & Looking after Yourself
• Understanding OS Maps & Symbols
• Practical Map Reading (filmed at Grassington, Yorkshire Dales)
• Navigation Strategies
• Understanding Contours
• How & when to use a Compass

DAY ONE

9:30am: Meet at a village car park in the Yorkshire Dales (with facilities).
9:30am – 4:30pm: Full day’s map, compass and navigation training in the Yorkshire Dales with Mark Reid. The walk will usually cover around 6 miles over the day, with plenty of rest stops and time to practice skills and ask questions.
4:30pm – 5pm: De-brief back at the village.
Evening: Route planning exercise.

DAY TWO

9:30am: Meet at a village car park in the Yorkshire Dales (with facilities).
9:30am – 4:30pm: Full day’s map, compass and navigation training out on the hills, moors and fells of the Yorkshire Dales with Mark Reid. The walk will usually cover around 6 – 8 miles over the day, with plenty of rest stops and time to practice skills and ask questions.
4:30pm – 5pm: Break on the hillside
5pm – 7pm: Evening navigation exercise, followed by de-brief back at the village.

DAY THREE

9:30am: Meet at a village car park in the Yorkshire Dales (with facilities). Summary of learning objectives, and areas to focus on during the day.
9:30am – 4:30pm: Full day’s walk in the Yorkshire Dales, with each person navigating a leg of the route. The walk will usually cover around 6 – 8 miles over the day, with plenty of rest stops and learning opportunities.
4:30pm – 5pm: Course feedback and results.

Upon successful completion you will receive a NNAS Silver Award.