Talks and Practicals
On the Mountain Skills 1 course we introduce navigation, firstly using maps then progressing to maps and compass. We go into much further detail on Mountain Skills 2. On the Irish Hillside or in the Irish Mountains we never know if mist or low cloud will appear, resulting in poor visibility. You can learn the skills required to become a competent hill walker – in any weather. We will demonstrate the use of various skills and techniques, in the classroom and also out it the field.
Simple navigation techniques –
• Following handrail features, easy line features, graduating to easy contour features – spurs/ridges etc.
• Direction estimation/map setting.
• Pacing exercise – determine number of double paces per 100 metres.
• Measuring distances on maps.
• Basic Naismith’s rule: Allow 1 hour for every 5 km forward, plus ½ hour for every 300 metres of ascent.
• Breaking basic Naismith’s Rule down into smaller units e.g. 100 metres, etc.
• Timing calculations.
• Taking bearings from map.
• Walking on bearings.
• Back-bearings.
• Feature recognition – close, distant.
• Navigational technique – attack points, aiming off.
The images used above are samples from our slide show and are copyright of the MTUK. The MTA publish books on mountain navigation and are available here.