National Navigation Award Scheme courses

WalkthisWay offers training and assessment courses for the NNAS scheme at Bronze, Silver and Gold level.

Bronze & Silver Award training and assessment is run in the Peak District and can be taken over a 2-day weekend, training Saturday and Assessment Sunday providing successful participants with their Bronze and Silver (depending on course taken) National Navigation Awards certificate following assessment.  Course times 9.30am – 5.30pm each day.  Bronze and Silver Award course ratio 1 to max of 6 participants.  Cost £35 per student per day.

Gold level Award training is also run in the Peak District and includes daytime and poor visibility or night navigation over a longer period, necessary to accommodate night navigation exercises.  Course commences Saturday 09.30am to 05.30pm and continues into Saturday evening 07.00pm to 10.00pm to enable night navigation, same for Sunday.  Course ratio 1 guide to max of 4 participants.  Cost £50 per student per day

Course participants will be required to provide their own rucksack, walking boots, warm clothes, hat, gloves, fleece layers, gaiters and waterproofs.  They must also bring a packed lunch and warm drink and be prepared to spend 75% of their time on the hill.  Please bring with you an OS Explorer Map OL1 (Dark Peak) 1:25 scale and Silva (or similar) compass preferably with 5inch base plate.

National Navigation Awards Bronze level:

For beginners with no previous knowledge of map and compass work in order to do Bronze level training and assessment, just an interest and desire to learn how to use the map and compass to find your way in the countryside.  This is a great way to start and equip yourself for walking in the hills.

Bronze level - Learning Outcomes:

• On completion of the award participants will be able to plan and follow simple walks in the countryside mainly on paths and tracks. 
• Understand the nature of the map as a 2 dimensional plan
• Understand how to use map symbols and scales on a variety of maps

• Take a 6 figure grid reference for any given position and also locate such a reference on the map
• Orientate the map with and without a compass
• Use the orientated map to identify land features and indicate direction of travel
• Estimate distance on both map and ground
• Use linear features as handrails in simple navigation exercises
• Choose simple navigation strategies and routes
• Relocate using simple techniques on paths and other handrails
• Using a basic understanding of contours,match major landforms like hills and valleys to the map
• plan a safe, suitable walk
• Understand access rights and responsibilities
• Demonstrate an awareness of local and national access issues and access legislation
• Demonstrate knowledge of the Countryside code, and of procedures to follow in the event of an emergency. 

Silver Award level course requirements:

If you’ve done the Bronze training and assessment or are a well traveled walker and absolutely sure you are good with a map, then this course may be for you.  You’ll need to know how to use the map as a 2 dimensional plan, how to use map symbols and scales and how to take a 6 figure grid reference for any given position and also locate a 6 figure grid reference on the map.  You should also be comfortable to ‘set’ your map to the ground either with the compass or without using map features.

Silver level Award – Learning Outcomes:

• On completion of this award participants will be able to plan and follow walks in the countryside away from paths and tracks

• Understand the nature of the map as a 2 dimensional plan
• Understand how to use map symbols and scales on a variety of maps

• Take a 8 figure grid reference for any given position and also locate such a reference on the map

• Use a compass to follow accurate bearings and check direction of footpaths or other linear features on map and ground
• Judge distance accurately on map and ground
• Devise a strategy for a navigation stage and to break down into ‘coarse’ and ‘fine’ navigation and use of clear features en route to check that you are ‘on course’
• Understand and apply the following components of a navigational strategy  ‘aiming off’, ‘collecting features’, ‘attack points’ simplifying navigation, in varying terrain.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the navigation physical and factors which may affect route choice
• Employ simple relocation strategies when lost
• Demonstrate an understanding contour features large and small on map and ground.
• Plan a safe walk or route using strategies learnt at Silver award level
• Demonstrate knowledge of the affects of fatigue and physical discomfort brought on by navigating in demanding countryside and/or extreme weather conditions.  Basic knowledge of first aid
• Demonstrate knowledge and application of the Countryside Code and current access legislation as for the Bronze level together with an appreciation of basic environmental factors in mixing ‘man and nature’ (eg footpath erosion and methods of dealing with it) and responsibilities towards other countryside interests like farming, forestry and conservation. 

Gold Award level – course requirements:

You’ve done the Bronze and Silver level awards and want to put it all together and learn some more advanced techniques over a full-on 2-day training weekend.

Gold level award - Learning outcomes

• on completion of this award participants will be able to plan and follow complex routes in any open countryside, mountain, forest, and moorland.

• Show confidence in use of skills detailed for both Bronze and Silver awards in open countryside, forests and hill environs
• Demonstrate use of distance judgement, compass skills and continuous contact (by frequent checking) in complicated areas.  This involves the use of both map to ground and ground to map techniques, the selection of appropriate techniques for each situation, and the integration of these into a navigation strategy
• Demonstrate the use of contours, to identify landforms (eg hilltops, valleys, spurs, re-entrants and knolls) and utilise them as the prime method of navigation.  Demonstrate use of ridges and valleys as reliable handrails and the size and relationship of contour features (eg a series of knolls) and use them for micro navigation to specific locations.
• Demonstrate the ability to plan a safe walk or route in open country in line with set criteria of duration, difficulty and objectives.  This must involve ‘Gold’ skills and strategies and may be used by the candidate for practice prior to assessment if appropriate

Email kathie@walkthisway.org.uk for more information and to book your course