Navigation Courses

Our Winter and Spring programme of navigation courses has now come to an end.  This year we have been busier than ever with more courses run and more students attending.  It’s good too that we have made some good friends from those attending the courses and we look forward to the autumn programme that starts this coming October.

It’s always good seeing people “get it” and discover that they can navigate, finding stone circles and obscure aircraft wrecks on the moors.  This spring we had one of our very first students come back to us for some revision and night navigation practice before taking her mountain leader assessment.  Needless to say she passed!

The coming programme includes introduction, intermediate and advanced night time navigation.  Details can be found at the Peak Navigation Courses website.

Peak District Walking Festival 2011

This years festival ran for 16 days and the Mountain House Team led 13 walks, concentrating mainly on the harder moorland terrain though on one walk through Cressbrook Dale we guided some intrepid walkers to the summit of
St. Peter’s Stone.

This year we tried to give the walks descriptive names that would conjure up the spirit of the walk: A Kinder Experience; Delights of the Upper Derwent; Aircraft Wrecks, The Big One’s; etc.

It was a successful couple of weeks where we made new friends and hopefully inspired clients to get out and join us on our holidays and navigation courses. Much praise was expressed to us for the way we made the walks enjoyable and even taught a few skills like using a GPS during one of the walks.

Mike enjoyed every one of the 13 walks but thought using his compass and navigation skills during poor visibility crossing Kinder Scout to be a highlight.

We are already refining our walks in preparation for the 2012 Peak District Walking Festival.  Keep an eye out for next years programme and come and join us.

Stunning Slovenia

The mist is rising slowly over Lake Bohinj and the mountain tops are in brilliant sunshine. This is the final day of our short visit, but it has ensured that we will return. Stunning scenery, a lush green landscape, carpets of amazing flowers, continuous birdsong, friendly people and some great walking.

Come and join us next year!

Hill Skills video clips

The Met Office have some really useful video clips produced in conjunction with Mountain Leader Training.  Great for people who have come on our introduction to navigation courses, and want to think a bit more about hill skills.

There are three videos covering general hill skills, dealing with bad weather and walking in winter.

The weather can change very quickly on the mountains. This short video explains what to do in the event of changeable conditions, poor visability and high winds.

Aircraft Wrecks - the Big Ones!

A bright and breezy day saw 16 keen walkers heading off to explore the moors of Bleaklow and Mill Hill to discover the wreckage of 4 aircraft which had crashed beneath the summits of Bleaklow and Kinder. 

Peak District Walking Festival gets off to a warm start!

Our first walk for the 2011 Peak District Walking Festival proved a warm, but very enjoyable one.  The walking on the moors above Howden reservoir was at it's best, despite the menacingly dark skies which threatened to spoil the day.

Sales of our walks are going well, particularly the big aircraft wrecks on Bleaklow and Kinder, the first of which has sold out.  There are places available on Friday 6th May, so book yours while you can.

The Delights of the Upper Derwent

A great afternoon and evening's walk exploring some of the lesser known parts of the Derwent valley in the Peak District.  The walk includes some hidden gems such as Lord Edward Howard's Spring and the Crow Stones.  For those who would like to experience these for themselves, together with the wonderful variety of landscapes in the Peak District Moors, join us during the Peak District Walking Festival.