Navigation Workshop
Navigation Workshop
Watch this space for the next dates...
What you will learn
The aim of this workshop is cover the basics of map and compass skills, so you can confidently follow footpaths and tracks, and then move on to some of the techniques involved in navigating in the hills or on open ground (i.e. where you are not following a footpath). We will start at 9.30am in the The Old Forge and go through some of the essential skills in the warm and dry, before spending the rest of the morning in the countryside immediately surrounding Kirkby Stephen. After lunch (we will provide soup, rolls, cake, tea and coffee) we will drive a few miles (car sharing as far as possible) to some easily accessible but quite challenging fellside, to consolidate and develop those skills. The emphasis is on traditional map and compass navigation rather than using GPS/Smartphone apps, but if you want to raise any questions about them there will be plenty of opportunity to do so. We will finish on the fell at around 4pm to return to The Old Forge. If there is interest we should be able to arrange a visit to the Mad About Mountains outdoor store just up the road in the early evening so you can pick their brains on equipment and clothing.
The training will be lead in groups - a maximum of 4 per group - by Mountain Leaders who are also fellow members of Kirkby Stephen Mountain Rescue Team. So you will be in very capable hands!
The venue: The Old Forge, 39 North Street, Kirkby Stephen CA17 4RE www.oldforgepub.co.uk
Start time: 9.30am, Saturday 12th November. Finish around 5pm.
What you will need: A daysack with warm and wet weather clothing, including waterproof trousers. Good, waterproof hill walking boots. Headtorch. A Silva type outdoor compass if you have one. The OS 1:25,000 scale map is OL19 (we will provide copies if you don't have one).
Cost: £65 per person, including tea and coffee and lunch at The Old Forge.
Please let us know if you have dietary requirements. The soup will be vegetarian.
Accommodation
Please arrange your own accommodation. There are quite a few options for self catering and rooms at hotels etc. on Booking.com and AirBnB. Nearby hotels include the Black Bull at Nateby, The Pennine in Kirkby Stephen, The Inn at Brough and The Black Swan and King's Head in Ravenstonedale. There is friendly budget accommodation at Kirkby Stephen Hostel (www.kirkbystephenhostel.co.uk)
We can thoroughly recommend guest house accommodation with our friends Nick and Rachel at the Old Croft House (www.theoldcrofthouse.co.uk). Please call them on 017683 71638 rather than using the booking form as they are opening specially for participants on the workshop.
Travel
Kirkby Stephen is on the Settle-Carlisle Railway. The station is a short walk from the town. By car the town is easily accessible from the M6 (j38) and the A66 trans-Pennine route.