NNAS SILVER AWARD

Intermediate Navigation Skills course

This 2-day National Navigation Award Scheme (NNAS) Silver Award builds upon the Bronze Award and gives you the skills you need to navigate across open country away from paths and tracks, in areas such as the hills and moors of the Yorkshire Dales. You must hold the Bronze Award, Lowland Leader or Hill & Moorland Leader training to attend this course.

Learning outcome – plan and follow your own walks away from paths and tracks for short legs across open country.

THE COMPLETE OUTDOOR SKILLS COURSE

• Build on the skills learnt at Bronze Award & apply them on the hills
• How to take and follow a compass bearing
• Use contours and landform as part of your navigation
• Understand the upland environment
• Route choice and strategy on the hills
• Route Simplification – rough and fine navigation
• Dealing with poor visibility (mist and darkness)
• Accurate distance estimation across the hills
• Gain a National Award (NNAS)
• Leave feeling inspired and ready to do more!

The NNAS Silver Award builds on the skills learnt at the Bronze Award, and moves up onto the open hills. This course will give you the skills and confidence to navigate across Open Country, 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 darkness. From contours and compass work to navigation strategies, our NNAS Silver courses will give you the skills you need for the hills.

Learning is informal and relaxed, with plenty of practical experience out on the hills, moors and fells of the Yorkshire Dales, within a small group of up to 8 people. 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 course includes both training and assessment of the Silver Award, delivered over the 2 days. There will also be a distance learning Home Study Paper before the course. 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 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 TWO

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.