These NGB award courses (CWA, SPA and ML), are administered by the Mountain Training Association. These awards are designed to train and assesses candidates in the skills required to supervise climbers indoors and outdoors, and to lead groups of hill walkers anywhere in the UK mountain and moorland environments (in summer conditions). As such they are seen as essential qualifications for those wishing to work in the outdoor industry, at outdoor centres, with school groups and within the voluntary sector.
Additionally all these courses are also excellent for the outdoors enthusiast wanting to review their personal skills, allowing them to expand their knowledge of current best practise.
Climbing Wall Award (Training)
To be awarded the CWA the candidate must complete the training course and pass the separate assessment. All candidates should leave a minimum of 6 months between training and assessment courses in order to consolidate the techniques learned and to develop their own personal and group skills.
Before you come on a training course you must be 18 or over, have registered for the award with Mountain Training and have lead indoors on at least 15 occasions.
The two day training includes:
- lead climbing
- correct use of equipment
- group management
- coaching movement and instructing climbing
- emergency procedures
- problem avoidance and simple rescues
At the end of the course all candidates will receive one to one feedback from the instructor giving them a detailed overview of any potential areas that need work and a realistic time-scale to assessment. Download program here.
Location: Leeds, Sheffield, Manchester
Price per person: £130 (£160 with abseil module)
Climbing Wall Award (Assessment)
The one day assessment will cover all areas of the syllabus. You will be assessed at your personal climbing and group management. The program can be found here.
Location: Leeds, Sheffield, Manchester
Price per person: £95 (£120 with abseil module)
All our award courses are led by McKinlay Mountaineering
If you are a large group of 4 or more we will be able to offer you alternative dates. CWA reassessments are also on offer. Just contact McKinlay Mountaineering for more details.
Climbing Wall Leader Award (CWLA) Training
To be awarded the CWLA a candidate must complete the training course and pass the separate assessment. All candidates should leave a minimum of 3 months between training and assessment courses in order to consolidate the techniques learned and to develop their own personal and group skills.
Before you come on a training course you must be 18 or over, have passed a CWA or SPA, have registered for the award with the Mountain Training and have lead indoors on at least 60 occasions.
The one day training includes:
- Teaching lead climbing and belaying
- Coaching movement skills specific to leading
- Teaching lead falling
- Correct use of equipment
- Group management
- Emergency procedures
- Problem avoidance and simple rescues
At the end of the course all candidates will receive one to one feedback from the instructor giving them a detailed overview of any potential areas that need work and a realistic timescale to assessment. Download program here.
Location: Leeds, Sheffield, Manchester
Price per person: £95
Climbing Wall Leader Award (CWLA) Assessment
The one day assessment will cover all areas of the syllabus. You will be assessed on your personal climbing and group management at teaching lead climbing. The program can be found here.
Location: Leeds, Sheffield, Manchester
Price per person: £95
All our award courses are led by McKinlay Mountaineering
If you are a large group of 4 or more we will be able to offer you alternative dates. CWA reassessments are also on offer. Just contact McKinlay Mountaineering for more details.
Single Pitch Award (SPA) Training
To be awarded the CWA, the candidate must complete the training course and pass a separate assessment. All candidates should leave a minimum of 6 months between training and assessment courses in order to consolidate the techniques learned and to develop their own personal and group skills.
Before you come on a training course you must be 18 or over, have registered for the award with Mountain Training and have lead indoors on at least 15 occasions.
The two day training includes:
- lead climbing
- correct use of equipment
- group management
- coaching movement and instructing climbing
- emergency procedures
- problem avoidance and simple rescues
At the end of the course all candidates will receive one to one feedback from the instructor giving them a detailed overview of any potential areas that need work and a realistic time-scale to assessment. Download program here.
Location: Peak District, Hathersage
Price per person: £140
Single Pitch Award (SPA) Assessment
The two day assessment will cover all areas of the syllabus. You will be assessed at your personal climbing and group management. Download program here.
Location: Peak District, Hathersage
Price per person: £150
All our award courses are led by McKinlay Mountaineering
If you are a large group of 4 or more we will be able to offer you alternative dates. SPA reassessments are also on offer. Just contact McKinlay Mountaineering for more details.
Mountain Leader Award (ML) Training
To be awarded the ML a candidate must complete the training course and pass a separate assessment. All candidates should leave a minimum of 6 months between training and assessment courses in order to consolidate the techniques learned and to develop their own personal and group skills.
Before you come on a training course you must be 18 or over, have registered for the award with the Mountain Training and have completed 20 quality mountain days.
During the six days training, the course objectives will include:
- group management
- poor visibility and night navigation
- security on steep ground
- emergency procedures and equipment
- access and conservation
- wild camping
At the end of the course all candidates will receive one to one feedback from the instructor giving them a detailed overview of any potential areas that need work and a realistic timescale to assessment. Download program here.
Location: Snowdonia / Lake District
Price per person: £395
Accommodation: Self catering youth hostel accommodation is included in the price.
Mountain Leader Award (ML) Assessment
The five day assessment will cover all areas of the syllabus. You will be assessed at your micro-navigation, steep-ground rope work and group management. The program can be found here.
Location: Snowdonia / Lake District
Price per person: £395
Accommodation: Self catering youth hostel accommodation is included in the price.
All our award courses are led by McKinlay Mountaineering
If you are a large group of 4 or more we will be able to offer you alternative dates. ML reassessments are also on offer. Just contact McKinlay Mountaineering for more details.