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NNAS 2 Day Navigation Course - Silver

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Saturday 5th to Sunday 6th November 2022

Bookings Open
Tuesday 1st February 2022
Bookings Close
Friday 4th November 2022 at 12:00
Bookings So Far
2 Participants
Booking Fees
Booking Fee   £140.00   
Contact
Course Organiser - Nicola
Phone
07976949488

Navigation Techniques

Silver Award for the NNAS

 

What to expect

It is not required to have the NNAS Bronze Certificate before signing up for the Silver level, BUT we prefer it if you have Bronze level! iIf you feel that you really are up to Silver Level, then please call Nicola on 07976 949488 before signing up, so we can discuss your previous experience. 

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 BE AWARE THAT WE WILL BE FOLLOWING ALL RECOMMENDED GUIDELINES FROM THE GOVERNMENT AT THE TIME OF THE COURSE WITH REGARDS TO COVID-19, SOCIAL DISTANCING AND PPE IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, AND ALSO REGULATIONS SPECIFIED BY NNAS. If regulations change and we cannot deliver this course, there will be the option to swap to different course or ask for a full course refund.

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.

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: GLENRIDDING PUBLIC HALL, GLENRIDDING CA11 0PA

Details:

Day 1:

  • 10:45 - Meet and greet - please bring your own hot drink and snack (if regulations change by November, we will provide drinks & welcome snack)
  • 11:00 - 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
  • 12:00 - 2 Hour theory session with a 30 minute break for lunch in way through
  • 14:00 - Around 4.5 hours on the hill with a break for food en route
  • 18:00 - 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
  • MAP REQUIREMENTS - please let me know if you need me to buy you any of these from our local shop in the village, 'Catstycam', as it is good to support them :
  • Harvey/BMC 1:40'000 map of the Lake District
  • Harvey/BMC 1:25'000 map of the Lake District East (if you have historic Harvey maps you will find you will need Central and East maps from your mapshelf!)
  • Ordnance Survey 1:50'000 no 90
  • Ordnance Survey 1:25'000 OL5
  • 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 & spare batteries
  • Lunch, day-food & a water flask & a hot drink flask AND A MUG FOR USING INDOORS
  • 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

Nicola is the inspiration behind Walx Helvellyn Ullswater, 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. Old Water View - Patterdale, fabulous river location in Patterdale with the mountains all around, just a couple mins drive to Glenridding
  4. Fairlight Guest House, Glenridding, in the centre of Glenridding.
  5. 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 preferential rates at the hotel

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: £140

 

View the Course Disclaimer / Terms and Conditions.

This event offers the option to purchase XCover, so that participants may be able to get a refund if they are unable to attend due to unforeseen circumstances.


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