The Walking and Camping Accreditation should be seen as an appropriate award for persons leading groups on paths and tracks in Bronze and Silver terrain as described by the D of E.
The Walking and Camping training and assessment courses take place in large woodlands/forested areas as described in the Silver Expedition terrain description below and therefore the full compass syllabus of the Gold Training Syllabus is used on the courses.
Where terrain is used by award groups for training and expeditions that does not fit the descriptors below for Bronze or Silver, leaders should hold either a Walking Group Leader award or a Summer Mountain Leader award.
Non-mountainous hilly terrain, known variously as upland, moor, bog, hill, fell or down in summer conditions.
Mountainous terrain in summer conditions
Bronze
In normal rural country, all route finding should be based on the map alone. Using a compass in rural country devoted to agriculture, with its hedges, meadows and fields under crop, is inappropriate and unnecessary. It causes ill-feeling with the farmers, hinders young people in developing a sense of direction and impedes their map reading skills. The 1:25 000 scale Explorer maps, available for the whole of England, Scotland, Wales and parts of Northern Ireland, should be used as they make instruction and learning easier. They show the field boundaries, making it easier to locate precisely the footpaths, tracks and lanes used for travel in this type of country, so helping to reduce friction with landowners. Participants should also be familiar with the 1:50 000 scale Landranger maps.
Silver
At Silver level in normal or open country, most route finding should be based on the map alone. Using a compass in rural country devoted to agriculture with its hedges, meadows and fields under crop, is inappropriate and unnecessary. It causes ill-feeling with the farmers, hinders the young people in developing a 'sense of direction' and impedes their map reading skills. The 1:25 000 scale Explorer Maps, available for the whole of England, Scotland, Wales and parts of Northern Ireland, should be used wherever possible as it makes instruction and learning easier. They show the field boundaries, making it easier to locate precisely the footpaths, tracks and lanes used for travel in this type of country, so helping reduce friction with landowners. Participants should also be familiar with the 1:50 000 scale Landranger Maps. Silver groups who use large woodland or forested areas for their ventures may wish to use the full compass syllabus of the Gold level of the Award.
Course dates for 2009
Training Courses
Spring 2009
20th - 22nd April
8th - 10th May
Autumn 2009
28th - 30th Aug
Assessment Courses
Spring 2009
15th - 17th June
Autumn 2009
2nd - 4th Oct
If none of the dates above are suitable, please inform the Outdoor Education Resource Centre and we will try to arrange further courses.
All the courses will be based at Highland Council’s lodges within the Badaguish site shortly before Loch Morlich, grid reference 9511 on the Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Sheet 36 Grantown, Aviemore.
Directions re how to get to Badaguish can be found on the Speyside Trust (Badaguish) web site.
The courses will be fully catered and include instruction equipment and in-course transport.
Currently, there is no fee charged to attend these courses, it would normally be £80.
Separate booking forms are used for each course;
Please download the Walking and Camping Workbook and complete the exercises prior to attending the training course.
If you require further information please contact the Outdoor Education Resource Centre.
Tel; 01 463 870 797
Email; outdoor.ed@highland.gov.uk
Back to top
Kit List
We recommend that you bring with you what you normally carry on a walk in a remote area.
There are differences between what you would carry when out;
- On your own
- With peers
- Leading a group
If you come with your ‘group kit’ for leading a group that would help with group discussions re the value of different items carried for different situations and groups.
Clothing
- Waterproof jacket and trousers
- Gaiters
- Sturdy walking boots
- Hat and gloves
- Warm clothing
- Spare clothing including gloves
For Navigation
Maps can be supplied, though if you have a copy of the Ordnance Survey Explorer Map (1:25,000) Sheet No. 403 Cairn Gorm and Aviemore or the Landranger Map (1:50,000) Sheet No. 36 Grantown & Aviemore, feel free to bring them along as both maps will be used on the course.
Map cases
If your map is not laminated, protect it with an Ortlieb map case, or similar.
- Seriously consider getting your map laminated to protect it from the elements, visit www.aqua3.co.uk/ for further information.
- Compass can be supplied, but if you have your own please bring it along. A compass with a large base plate and a romer scale like the Silva Type 4/54 is recommended.
Back to top
Equipment
- A day sac big enough to carry your lunch and spare clothing and some group gear
- Head torch
- Personal First Aid
- Blister kit
- Headache pills
- If you have the following please bring them along
- an expedition rucksack
- a tent
- a stove
- Personal bivvy bag
- Water bottle / thermos flask
Food
These courses are fully catered
Course Details
Leadership: Group Organisation (before trip)
- The candidate should demonstrate;
- A working knowledge of Highland Council’s Outdoor Education Safety Document.
- Awareness of responsibility to the Council and to the Head of Establishment
- Awareness of the Scottish Outdoor Access Code
- Awareness of sources of weather forecasts for mountain conditions
- Knowledge of Guide books etc.
- Knowledge of Risk Assessments- generic and excursion specific
Leadership Skills (during a trip)
- The candidate should demonstrate the necessary skills required to lead a group.
- Ability to assess the groups capabilities
- Ability to exercise group control
- Ability to modify leadership style to suit different conditions
- Ability to foster environmental awareness and respect
- Awareness of the needs of the group
Back to top
Technical Skills
- The candidate must possess the necessary technical skills to lead a walking and camping group.
- Possess a relevant and current 2 day (minimum 12 hours) first-aid certificate
- Have the ability to navigate with map and compass– including
- Interpret information from a map; grid references, scale, contours, symbols, set map, relate map to terrain features, estimate times, produce a route card, and navigate across country with map and compass
- Possess the appropriate technical knowledge of equipment i.e. leaders equipment, navigation equipment, personal and group equipment appropriate to the venture
- Care and maintenance of equipment
- Possess knowledge of Campcraft and expeditioning e.g. rucksack packing, use of stoves and their care, tent pitching, camp hygiene
Safety Management
The candidate should demonstrate
- The ability to identify hazards, evaluate risks and manage situations safely
Knowledge of emergency procedures e.g. group care, casualty handling, emergency shelters and mountain rescue call out procedures
Ability to recognise importance of route planning, taking account of route, weather and group capabilities
Teaching Skills
The candidate must demonstrate ability to develop skills in others by
Showing awareness of the communication skills necessary to impart knowledge both indoors and outdoors e.g. give a short talk or demonstration on a given topic.
Back to top
The Highland Council has a responsibility to ensure that staff leading groups on walking and camping trips are competent to do so. Highland Council's policy in the Outdoor Education Safety Document (2002) refers to two in house accreditation courses, Hillwalking (1) and Hillwalking (2).
With the creation of the Walking Group Leader (WGL) award it was decided not to provide Hillwalking (2).
Hillwalking (1) has undergone a review and will now be known as the Walking and Camping Accreditation. The content differs little from the Hillwalking Accreditation, the major difference being that the navigation skills will focus on travelling along tracks and paths not open hill ground.
As a result of the name change, Highland Councils policy as shown on page 60 of the Outdoor Education Safety Document with regard to D of E Expeditions will now read as;
"The terrain used for Bronze and Silver Expeditions in the Highland Council area is usually in remote areas. All supervisors are therefore required to hold the Highland Council Walking and Camping Accreditation , or an appropriate National Governing Body Award"
Where leaders want to provide opportunities for children and young people to ascend hills and travel off tracks, they should obtain one of the National Governing Body awards e.g. the Walking Group Leader or Mountain Leader award, which ever is appropriate.
The Walking and Camping Accreditation comprises of three parts;
- A training course which aims to enhance the skills each participant brings to the course and to familiarise candidates with the standards required for the assessment.
- It is desirable that all candidates have a minimum 12 months walking experience over terrain that might typically be used by D of E expedition groups
- It is desirable if the above includes experience of camping
- A consolidation period where candidates practice new techniques
- During this period the candidate will benefit from visiting several different areas
- Continue to log all relevant experience
- An assessment course that will examine candidates in the following areas- Leadership, Safety Management and Technical Skills.
- Candidates should log the following prior to attending an assessment course
- 30 walks on paths or tracks as might be used by a D of E expedition group
- It is desirable that the above includes 5 days where the candidate was assisting a leader in charge of a group of children / young people
- The above experience should also include 5 nights wild camping, some of which should have been with groups of young children / young people
Candidates successfully completing the assessment course and who hold a relevant and current 2 day (12 hours minimum) first-aid certificate will be awarded the Highland Council Walking & Camping Accreditation. This award will be valid for five years from the date Accreditation is awarded whereupon a refresher day should be attended to re-validate the accreditation.
Back to top