Mountain Leader Qualifications

The team encourages members to take their own training further through the training and assessment programs run by the Mountain Leader Training Board. Each qualification requires a number of quality mountain days to be accepted on the Award. After training, and a consolidation period, the final assessment can then be taken. The Summer Award must be passed before moving on to the separate Winter qualification.

The Mountain Leader Award (Summer)

The mountains of the UK are remote, technical and exposed to harsh and unpredictable weather. This makes them a hazardous place for novice walkers and the ML is designed to help responsible leaders who wish to operate in mountainous terrain in summer conditions. ML courses develop your group management skills, the ability to navigate in all conditions, the ability to deal with mountain hazards (including steep ground) and increase your awareness of environmental issues.
ML Training

The Winter Mountain Leader Award

The purpose of the Winter Mountain Leader award scheme is to provide training and assessment of the skills and techniques necessary to lead walking parties on the hills and mountains of the UK under winter conditions, excluding roped climbing on technical terrain. The demands made on the hill walking leader in winter are much greater than in summer, therefore the Mountain Leader award is a prerequisite for all candidates and the scheme builds on many of the skills already acquired. It is a natural progression. The scheme integrates personal experience, training and assessment.
Since its introduction in 1965, the scheme has achieved widespread recognition by Education Authorities, youth organisations and individuals for ensuring technical competence in this field. The scheme is operated on behalf of the Mountain Leader Training UK (MLTUK) by Mountain Leader Training Scotland (MLTS), formerly the Scottish Mountain Leader Training Board, and the award is valid throughout the UK although all training and assessment courses are run in Scotland.