If you’re planning on joining one of our mountain adventures or signing up for an outdoor course, you’ll have noticed each activity has a ‘Skill Level’. Read on to find out more about each level helping you to reach a decision about whether that adventure is right for you.
As experienced outdoor professionals, we’re very aware that skill levels can be rather subjective. What might be considered ‘easy’ for one person may not be so for another. Someone might find climbing Snowdon no more difficult than a walk in the park whereas someone else might think it’s the hardest activity they’ve ever taken part in!
We use six skill levels to help explain what previous experience you might need and what you should expect on the day.
EASY
(reserved for our outdoor courses). No previous outdoor experience is required at all. You might be walking for between four and six hours each day with only minimal ascent/descent mostly on paths but with the occasional off-path adventure. Our courses typically run over more than one day so you should be fit enough to manage this.
EASY+
(reserved for our outdoor courses). No previous outdoor experience is required at all. You’ll typically be out walking for up to six hours each day with perhaps more ascent/descent than the level above. In the case of our ‘Straight to Silver’ Navigator Award courses, this takes place over three consecutive days which will require a slightly higher level of fitness. Whilst the days aren’t tough or particularly long, three ‘outdoor’ days in a row can be a challenge.
MODERATE
No previous hill or mountain walking experience is necessarily required. You will be out walking in the mountains for between six and eight hours so should have an average level of fitness. You’ll mainly be walking along well defined paths with the occasional steep section.
CHALLENGING
You’ll enjoy this adventure more if you have some previous hill or mountain walking experience. You will be walking high in the mountains for a longer day and might need to use your hands in the case of our scrambling adventures or specialist equipment if walking in winter.
CHALLENGING+
You’ll need to have plenty of experience walking in the hills and mountains of the UK. These adventures are typically long days out and will require a good level of fitness and strong stamina to complete. These might not be technically difficult but they will be physically demanding.
CHALLENGING++
You should ideally have some hill and mountain walking experience including scrambling up to grade 1. These adventures will be longer days and will involve the use of hands to make progress. You should be comfortable with heights and exposed edges and understand that, beyond a certain point in the day, there may no longer be the opportunity to turn back.
