Lowland Leader Award
The Lowland Leader award has been designed for people who wish to lead groups on day walks in lowland countryside and woodland in summer conditions. The majority of the UK and Ireland is made up of this type of terrain so you’ll never be short of places to go walking.
The leadership opportunities for Lowland Leaders are varied and far reaching, from the South West Coast Path to the Great Glen Way; walking in lowland areas can be no less spectacular than walking high up in the mountains. And with campaigns such as Britain on Foot and Walking for Health proving really popular, there’s never been a better time to be a walking leader.
Is the Lowland Leader Award for me?
The prerequisites for registration are as follows:
- You must be at least 17 years old
- You should have an interest in leading groups in lowland countryside
You must also:
- Have an account on the Mountain Training Candidate Management System
- Register for the Lowland Leader scheme (this costs £44)
Training
Before you book onto a Lowland Leader training course, make sure you have done the following:
- You must be registered on the scheme
- You must have recorded a minimum of 10 varied walks in Lowland terrain where the use of a map is required (ideally these will be recorded on DLOG) which can have taken place at any point (pre- or post-registration)
Lowland Leader training lasts for 2 days.
The Syllabus
Lowland Leaders should be competent in the following key areas, all of which will be covered during your two day training course.
- Leadership Skills and Group Management
- Walking Skills
- Planning a Walk
- Basic Mapwork and Route Finding Skills
- Equipment
- Hazards and Emergency Procedures
- Environmental Awareness, Conservation, Access and Land Ownership
Detailed information on each of the above topics can be found in the Lowland Leader Handbook and the onus is on you to be competent in all of them by the time you come to assessment.
Consolidation
The period between training and assessment varies in length for each person and is an opportunity to develop your skills, paying particular attention to any weaknesses identified during the training course. We recommend at least three months between training and assessment and if it takes you a few years to feel ready, that’s fine too. You can use the excuse ‘I’m preparing for assessment’ to have as many walking adventures as you like, so get out there and explore this beautiful country of ours!
Assessment
Before you book onto a Lowland Leader assessment, make sure you have done the following:
- You must have attended a Lowland Leader training course (or have been granted exemption)
- You must be familiar with the syllabus
- You must have logged a minimum of 20 walks in lowland countryside in different types of terrain (woodland, coastal, farmland etc)
- You must hold a current first aid certificate, minimum 16 hours and relevant to your work as a Lowland Leader
The Lowland Leader assessment is 2 days long (minimum 16 hours contact time)
