Navigation Courses
Navigation courses can help you to:
- Enhance your enjoyment of the countryside
- Develop sound navigation skills and practice including planning your own walking routes
- Gain confidence at map reading whether the weather is clear or misty
- Achieve a personal performance award in navigation at the NNAS Bronze, Silver or Gold Levels, validated to a national standard.
Bronze and Silver and Gold Courses are run over two days.
We are also Providers of the Young Navigator Star Award (YNSA) which encourages youngsters to actively learn outside the classroom.
One-day (not NNAS) and Night navigation courses are also available.
Are you preparing for an ML Assessment, or maybe been deferred on your navigation? We can tailor a day or days to suit your requirements.
One day courses
Typically, we will cover the following:
- Setting the map
- Thumbing the map
- Pacing and timing
- Estimating distance
- Grid references
- Relocation strategies
- Use of the compass.
Important: candidates undertaking an NNAS Course will have their details added to the Online Candidate Management System. This can be done in one of two ways:
1. The candidate may sign up to the Management System themselves, and create an account.
2. This can be done on by us on their behalf, if permission is given by completing a Participant Consent Form.
Bronze NNAS Award
It is aimed at people with no navigation experience whether you are new to the outdoors or have been relying on others, guidebooks or easy well-defined routes.
It is also the starting point for many Duke of Edinburgh students, scouts and guides and cadet groups who are looking to develop their outdoor skills. NNAS Bronze award is accredited by the Scottish Credit & Qualifications Framework (SCQF) at Level 4, and 2 SCQF credit points are awarded on completion.
The syllabus of the Bronze National Navigation Award teaches navigation in the countryside using paths tracks and other linear features. Basic map interpretation and compass work is also included.
Bronze Navigator Award Syllabus
Silver NNAS Award
It adds skills required to navigate to features and places some distance from paths and tracks. It teaches accurate compass work. It will also teach you to select the suitable navigational techniques to cross open country.
Silver Navigator Award Syllabus
Gold NNAS Award
The Gold National Navigation Award has recently been review and updated, and now includes pre- and post- course question papers. These will be given to candidates when they book with their chosen course Provider.
Gold courses are run by Course Directors who not only have plenty of top-level navigation experience but also have been on a special NNAS-run course in tutoring Gold courses.
Gold NNAS Syllabus
Pricing
The cost of NNAS Courses (two days) is £130.00 per person.
One Day Courses £75.00 per person.
Discounts available for groups.
Ratios for NNAS Courses 1:8 for Bronze and Silver, 1:4 for Gold.
Please note: a minimum of two candidates are required for a Course to go ahead.
All courses are run by qualified Mountain Leaders, with many years experience in all areas of the UK, in all weather conditions. We do not have huge amounts of clients on navigation courses, hence ample time can be spent with each person, ensuring they have the opportunity to practice, and understand what they have been taught.
Kit list and course programme will be sent out on confirmation of booking. The meeting place for navigation courses in Northumberland, will be Clennell Hall Country House, Alwinton, NE65 7BG, where there is ample parking. We will have tea/coffee and cover some theory before spending the rest of the day on the hill. We will return to Clennell Hall Country House at the end of each day for a debrief, and refreshments.