2 Day Navigation Course, Lake District

Learn to Navigate Confidently in the Hills and Mountains

Our 2 day navigation course teaches you to navigate confidently with map and compass in the Lake District fells. You’ll learn to read contours, take bearings, pace and time legs, relocate when unsure, and plan routes that suit the weather.

Day one builds the core skills; day two puts them to work on a longer hill day, including in poor visibility where conditions allow. New to the hills? Start with the 1 day mountain skills course. Next step: night navigation, or browse all navigation courses.

Suitable for

Beginner navigators
Hill walkers wanting to become more independent
Scramblers developing mountain skills
Individuals preparing for longer mountain objectives
Anyone wanting to improve confidence with map and compass

Why Take A Navigation Course?

Many people can follow a route in good weather on familiar ground but struggle when visibility drops or the terrain becomes more complex.

A strong understanding of navigation gives you more freedom, more confidence and more options in the mountains. It helps you travel safely, make better decisions and enjoy longer and more adventurous days outdoors.

This course is ideal if you want to move from simply following paths to understanding the landscape and planning your own journeys.

Skills You'll Develop

Map Reading & Terrain Interpretation: Learn how to read OS maps effectively, understand contours and identify key terrain features before and during your mountain journey.

Route PlanningDevelop the ability to plan safe and enjoyable mountain routes based on weather, terrain, distance and group ability.

Compass Skills & Bearings: Build confidence taking and following bearings accurately, and learn how to use your compass effectively in a variety of mountain situations.

Relocation & Error Correction Understand how to recognise when things are not going to plan and how to relocate yourself confidently if you become uncertain of your position.

Navigation in Poor Visibility Learn the principles of navigating in mist, rain and low cloud so you can remain confident when the mountain environment becomes more challenging.

Day One

Navigation Foundations

The first day focuses on building a strong base of navigation knowledge.

Topics may include:

Map symbols and scale
Contours and landforms
Grid references
Compass use
Route planning
Basic bearings
Recognising terrain features

The aim is to ensure you leave day one with a clear understanding of the key principles behind confident navigation.

Day Two

Applying Your Skills On Real Mountain Terrain

The second day focuses on applying your navigation skills in a more practical mountain setting.

You will work through a range of navigation exercises, including:

Following planned routes
Bearing work
Relocation
Timing and pacing
Navigation across more complex terrain
Decision making in changing conditions

This gives you the chance to consolidate everything you learned on day one and start applying it with more independence.

Navigation courses

Why Choose North West Mountain Guides?

Courses are led by Jack Oliver, a qualified Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor (MCI). Navigation is taught step by step on real terrain, with time to practise each technique until you can use it on your own.