Berkshire Scouts Mountain Team is here to support all leaders in getting their young people out in to the mountains and wildernesses of the UK.
We run regular weekends and evening workshops throughout the year for any adult involved in Scouting in Berkshire to develop their skills. The intention of these weekends and workshops is to provide leaders with a progressive series of events culminating in a successful assessment for a hillwalking permit, the qualification required to taking young people out into the hills.
Through our training programme we aim to cover the full range of skills sets right through from those first learning how to read a map and use a compass to those at the top of their game who want to master crampons and ice axes in full-on winter conditions.
Our weekends are run by highly skilled and experienced volunteers, most holding national governing body qualifications such as the Mountain Leader, Rock Climbing Instructor or Winter Mountain Leader.
Links
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Workshops
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Weekend Trips
- Consolidation Between Training and Assessment
- Ongoing Support
- Contact the Team
- Subscribe to our mailing list
Workshops
Night Navigation Workshop
Exact dates TBC November/December 2025; Meet at 19:00 at Hambleden [SU785865]
Target audience: those that can navigate during the day using a compass and reading contours on a map but want to improve their low visibility navigation. If you can’t use a compass or read contours then a more suitable workshop is the (daytime) Intro to Navigation and Orienteering workshop in May.
This workshop will be free of charge. You will need warm clothes, waterproofs, good footwear, a head torch and a compass. We do have a limited number of compasses that can be borrowed – please ask as early as possible before the workshop as we’ll need to grab them from stores.
More information and signup details will follow later in the year.
Terrain 2 Ropework Workshop
Exact dates TBC November/December 2025; Meet at 09:00 at a location to be decided…
Target audience: those working towards a Terrain 2 permit. Or Terrain 2 permit holders wishing to refresh their skills.
This workshop will be free of charge. You will need warm clothes, waterproofs, good footwear and gloves if you want. The ropes will rub on your jacket so we’d recommend wearing something you don’t mind potentially damaging. Ropes and helmets will be provided.
More information and signup details will follow later in the year.
Weekend Trips
Lake District Skills Development Hillwalking Weekend: 12-13th July 2025
Our final trip before the Summer holidays is a weekend aimed at developing skills for those that are already competent hillwalkers and will be focused on skills and activities that are above and beyond that required for a hillwalking permit. The aim is to give you not only more skills as a hillwalking leader but also to help you branch out into some other areas for your own personal hillwalking.
Target audience: leaders that already hold a permit or are close to getting one. (Drop Ralph an email if you want to discuss.)
There will be no charge to attend this trip but you will have to sort your own food, accommodation and travel. More details to follow.
Depending on attendee’s preferences we could go:
- Scrambling
- Scrambling is the natural progression from the steep ground covered in a Terrain 2 permit and we can cover the skills required in moving in this terrain and keeping you and the group safe.
- Ghyll scrambling
- Ghyll scrambling is the aquatic cousin of scrambling, in the Lakes you can scramble up several of the ghylls (streams) that run down the hills providing a far more interesting approach to the summit than the footpath full of ramblers. We’ll cover the skills for ghyll scrambling and how to plan and manage this activity.
- On a big outing covering the more remote peaks to give the taste of an epic day out
- The best days on the hills are the ones that those that really push you into having a proper adventure rather than just popping up and down a hill. There’s nothing quite like watching the sunset from a mountain summit after a glorious summer’s day on the hills.
- Something else, let us know!
For more information, including pre-requisites, download the trip information document and sign up online here.
This trip will be run by Ralph Delaney and Rob Smart.
Mid-Wales (Aran Mountains): 27-28th September 2025
Target audience: leaders that want training to work towards a Terrain 1 (rolling hills and moorland) or those looking for assessment for a Terrain 1 permit.
There will be no charge to attend this trip but you will have to sort your own food, accommodation and travel. More details to follow.
For more information, including pre-requisites, download the trip information document and sign up online here. Please book before 12th September.
This trip will be run by Ralph Delaney and Alison Berry.
Snowdonia/Eryri: 17-18th January 2026
Our most popular weekend of the year. Join over 30 other leaders for a weekend offering permit training and assessment or the opportunity to head out with others and do your own hillwalking to consolidate your experience. This weekend will be catered with indoor sleeping accommodation. The weekend will offer Terrain 1 and 2 opportunities.
More information and registration will follow in the summer.
Consolidation Between Training and Assessment
For those of you that are consolidating your experience before applying for a permit or assessment or have a permit that’s due to expire we’ve also produced some guidance on what makes a good logbook.
Ongoing Support
Whilst our main focus is our weekend programme we have an active Facebook group that exists to provide support and a sense of community to all leaders in Berkshire. It’s a great place to ask questions, discuss upcoming trips or show off with photos of your recent mountain adventures.
You’ll find most of the county training team on there along with existing and aspirant permit holders. To keep it to Scout leaders it’s a private group so please have your membership number handy.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/berkshire.scouts.hillwalking/
Contact the Team
You can contact the team via our Facebook group or you can contact our coordinator, Ralph Delaney.
| Alison Berry Hillwalking Instructor | Harry Canning Summer Hillwalking Assessor |
| Peter Charles-Jones Hillwalking Instructor | Ralph Delaney Winter Hillwalking Assessor  |
| Brendan Goswell Summer Hillwalking Assessor | Peter McBride Hillwalking Instructor |
| Paul Norris Summer Hillwalking Assessor | Rob Smart Hillwalking Instructor |
| Lewis Wilson Summer Hillwalking Assessor |