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Navigation Techniques

Silver Award for the NNAS

Sat/Sun 1st & 2nd August 2020

 

What to expect

If you demonstrate the correct understanding after 2 days intensive training and assessment, then you will walk away with a NNAS Silver Certificate and will be able to use this to either gain your Gold Award or put it towards a Mountain Leader Training course.

You will be crossing open fell, for short durations and this will not be on paths.  Having said this we will travel very slowly over this ground and ensure the safety of participants.  We will mostly only be walking over grassey tussocks, boggy area and occasional rocky sections which will not be technical, but will be off path.

PLEASE BA AWARE THAT WE WILL BE FOLLOWING ALL RECOMMENDED GUIDELINES FROM THE GOVERNEMENT AT THE TIME OF THE COURSE WITH REGARDS TO COVID-19, SOCIAL DISTANCING AND PPE IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, AND ALSO REGLUATIONS SPECIFIED BY NNAS.

What will you learn?

• Utilise the skills and techniques of the Bronze Award in the context of Silver Award navigation strategies.
• Relate small hills, small valleys, prominent re-entrants and prominent spurs to their corresponding map contours. Use prominent hills, ridges, spurs and valleys as a means of navigation in good visibility.
• Use landforms and point features to orientate the map and as collecting and catching features.
• Use a compass to: Accurately follow a bearing; aim off; check the direction of handrails and other linear features.
• Deviate briefly from a compass bearing to avoid obstacles or difficult terrain and accurately regain the original line.
• Use back bearings to check route following accuracy.
• Measure distance on the ground in varied, open terrain using timing and pacing and make practical allowances for any discrepancies.
• Simplify legs using coarse navigation, attack points and fine navigation.
• Recognise dangerous or difficult terrain on map and ground.
• Plan and implement navigational strategies based on the above skills.
• Maintain route finding accuracy in poor visibility or darkness.
• Recognise a navigation error within a few minutes and apply appropriate relocation techniques.
• Understand how personal fitness and nature of terrain affect route choice both at the planning stage and on the ground.
• Understand the potential consequences of fatigue and physical discomfort in demanding terrain and/or extreme weather conditions.
• Select appropriate clothing, equipment and first aid items for walking in open country in all weather conditions.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the Countryside Code, current access legislation and the environmental impact of walkers on the countryside.
• Understand the responsibilities of walkers towards other countryside interests such as farming, forestry and conservation.
  

What are the benefits?

• Gain a deeper understanding on how to use a map & compass in order to navigate a chosen route in difficult conditions, across different scales of maps and over difficult terrain.
• Grow your confidence to take people further afield, but with-in your qualification's perimeter's
• Gain a Silver NNAS certificate to show you have the skills (continued personal development)
• Use this course to help you gain your Walking Leader Qualification (It will set you on the right track, giving you a good understanding of navigation, not give you the course work or qualification)
• Increase your earning potential by being able to plan breath taking routes

Who is it for?

Fell Walkers, especially those wishing to up into the mountains, Nordic Walkers who wish to go exploring without a guide & Nordic Instructors. Road & Trail runners new to navigation who wish to explore new routes.

This is an intermediate-level course for navigation for personal development & will give you a NNAS (National Navigation Award Scheme) Silver Award, assuming you are able to demonstrate a good understanding and application of the skills being learnt on the course.

It is not a requirement to have the Bronze NNAS in order to participate on this 2 day course, although if you do not already have this certificate and are unsure if to attend Bronze or Silver level, please contact our instructor, Nicola to discuss you experience in Navigation.

PLEASE BE AWARE THAT WE ARE STILL UNSURE IF ANY OF OUR TUITION CAN TAKE PLACE INDOORS, AND WE WILL KEEP YOU POSTED AS TO ANY CHANGE - CURRENTLY (JUNE 2020) WE ARE UNABLE TO TEACH INDOORS.  WE WILL ALSO BE POINTING TO OUR MAPS FROM AFAR AND USING GRID REFERENCES IN MUCH MORE DETAIL TO IN ORDER TO DEMONSTRATE DIFFERENT TECHNQIUES.

What's included?

• Notes on the course, as there is always a lot to absorb, which will be emailed to you each evening of the course for you to read over
• A NNAS Silver Award certificate, assuming you demonstrate a good understanding of the 2 days of learning & application

Course Program

Meeting place: Patterdale Junior School, Patterdale, Penrith CA11 0NL

Details:

Day 1:

• 12:15 - Meet and greet - please bring your own hot drink and snack (if regulations change by November, we will provide drinks & welcome snack)
• 12:30 - 1 Hour out in the valley, confirming existing skills and recap of Bronze NNAS skills, assessing participants navigation level (flexible according to weather and Government Regulations by November
• 13:30 - 2 Hour theory session with a 30 minute break for lunch in way through
• 16:00 - Around 4.5 hours on the hill with a break for food en route
• 20:00 - Back to base for 30 minutes debrief of the day, finish 20:30 approximately, if the weather is very clear and visibility is good, we may stay out a little longer so navigate in darkness

Day 2:

• 08:30 Meet - please bring your own hot drink and snack (if regulations change by November, we will provide drinks & welcome snack)
• 08:45 2 hours theory session
• 10:45 brief brew break
• 11:00 4 hour session out on the hill
• 15:30 Return to base for debrief, finish 16:00

The course is based around the fells of the Patterdale Valley, this could be either side. Conditions dependant.

What to bring

• Compass
• Harvey/BMC 1:40'000 map of the Lake District and Ordnance Survey 1:25'000 OL5 Map
• Full waterproof cover (Jacket and Pants), these must be taped seems, please call to discuss if you're not sure
• Clothing suitable for the countryside & time of year - We will not be moving quickly, so please account for that in your clothing selection. - remember it is a 2-day course, so you will need clothing for 2 days
• 1 spare warm top, not cotton please. Wool or synthetic will be fine
• 1 spare emergency jacket that should not be used
• Rucksack to hold all your kits AND with  a tiny bit of space in it for us all to share out the emergency kit which i will arrange i.e. space for example for a shelter or the first aid or the winter bivi... 
• Spare clothing for day 2, should your day 1 clothing get wet
• Suitable footwear for wet ground, preferably off road/walking/running shoes OR WALKING BOOTS IF YOU WANT TO KEEP DRY FEET!
• Hat & Gloves x 2
• Headtorch
• Lunch, day-food & a water flask & a hot drink flask
• Not essential - but if you have any form of bivi bag or any form of shelter, all are welcome now we have a change in rules and do not wish to come too close to other participants in case of emergency.  Our old rules of huddling together in a shelter if someone is injured or to look at maps will no longer be able to happen.

Meet your coach - Nicky Sproson: Your navigation expert

Nicola is the inspiration behind Nics Nordic Walks, as well as being a qualified Mountain Leader, Nic has navigated her way around on the Mountain Marathon scene in the Lakes and Scotland also.  As well as guiding her Nordic Walking group up and all over the Lakeland fells on a weekly basis, Nic take herself navigating in all conditions to keep navigation skills fresh and at her finger tips.

See our About Us page to find out more.

Accommodation - We recommend:

1. Beech House. Great B&B right in the centre of Glenridding, preferential rates if you mention Nics Nordic Walks when speaking to Lynn, she will look after you very well!
2. Crookabeck B&B Typical farmhouse B&B, 2 twin or double rooms, and sitting room area also, super friendly and preferential rates for our clients when you speak to Adam. A couple mins drive from Glenridding
3. http://oldwaterview.co.uk/ - Patterdale, fabulous river location in Patterdale with the mountains all around, just a couple mins drive to Glenridding
4. Inn on the Lake. Great hotel right in the centre of Glenridding, contact nicola@nicsnordicwalks.co.uk if you would like us to obtain you preferntial rates at the hotel

The Course is held at The Public Hall in Glenridding, just up the lane from the Corner Shop in the centre of the village.

http://www.cornershop.uk.com/ and Glenridding Mini Mart stock lots of yummy goodies if you forogt your lunch... 

https://catstycam.com/ will supply you with any kit you may have forgotten also... we have everything you need right here!

Cost: £100

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