LAKE DISTRICT

Possibly the most important outdoor course you could take. Lakeland winter brings a step change from hillwalking to mountaineering. As winter arrives in the mountains so does the need for a new set of skills essential for keeping safe. The use of ice axes and crampons, good navigation and avalanche awareness are vital skills for travel through snow-covered mountains. 

With these skills in place, a new world of mountaineering objectives opens up giving you all-year round access to the mountains. Our winter skills courses are also suitable training for those heading for snowy peaks around the world. Preparation for the Alps and Greater Ranges can be done here at home in the Lake District, North Wales and the Scottish Highlands. 

Our courses cover the use of ice axe and crampons, navigation training to enable you to contend with the often fierce winter weather, and avalanche awareness so as to identify and understand snow conditions and where danger may lurk.

We are able to provide the following equipment for your course included in the cost. Ice axe and crampons along with a helmet. Excluded is winter clothing and winter mountain boots. From our bases in both Keswick and Ambleside you can easily hire winter boots from the sport shops. We can arrange this for you and pick up the boots prior to the course starting. All mountain safety equipment such as group shelters and first aid kits will be provided by the instructor. We have created a kit list page to help you on the site and please feel free to get in touch for further help.