PEAK- Late Season Skills Weekend (hillwalking)
Late Season Skills Weekend (hillwalking)
Date: Friday 14th November 2025 (travelling) to Sunday 16th November 2025
Zoom Pre-meet: Evening of Sunday 9th November.
Location: The skills weekends are run from GLSW’s activity centre, Yr Hen Neuadd, in Bethesda in Snowdonia, North Wales.
Costs: £80 excluding travel
The Pre-meet:
This is an integral part of the event, held on Zoom on the evening of the Sunday before the weekend away and everyone is encouraged to take part. This is where we aim to get the whole group together to meet the team / instructors, explain the structure of the weekend, brief you on some key safety and theory areas and then put you into your walking / climbing groups so you can start to plan your activity. We will answer any questions you have and also sort out travel arrangements which is normally by car-share.
These weekends are run by Peak ASU, a Scout Active Support Unit run jointly by GLSW and Surrey Scout Counties whose members are highly experienced and skilled Mountain Leaders in their own right and have been working together for many years running these weekend events.
The Weekend:
The programme structure for the skills weekends is flexible and for those who just want to gain a taster or some experience we will offer a safe and enjoyable activity in the mountains with the chance to learn some skills to enhance their enjoyment of the days out.
For those wanting more structure or to work towards gaining a permit then we will, offer some structured learning including:
- A general and practical introduction to the many aspects of hillwalking/climbing, with the training in the basic personal skills required, focusing on
- Party management and the additional technical skills of leadership in the mountains
- Clothing and equipment selection
- Scout rules and guidance
- Route planning and navigation
- Risk Assessment, Safety & Emergency procedures
- Obtaining & using Weather Forecasts
- An understanding of the Mountain Environment
- For those working towards Terrain 2, movement over steep or mixed ground, including confidence rope skills.
- For those opting for Climbing on the May course; route selection, ropework, anchors and practical skills development
We can also offer:
- Logbook time by acting as an assistant leader, using skills previously gained, or exploring unfamiliar routes
- The opportunity to gain experience for those working towards formal qualifications such as those run by Mountain Training or the National Navigation Award Scheme
- For those who have the appropriate previous experience and skill level, assessments for Scout Hillwalking or on the May course Climbing Permits (advance notice needed)
All adult members of the Scouts are welcome.
Spaces are normally allocated on a first come first served basis but with priority given to leaders from GLSW and Surrey Scout Counties if there is high demand. Some Groups or Districts offer assistance with funding, so please ask as may have to apply to them before booking or attending a skills weekend.
Please note: Weekends in the mountains can be physically demanding and participants must be fit enough to sustain and enjoy a full programme (especially in the early season event when snow could be expected). Peak will ensure that all events are run in accordance with Scout Association and NGB safety guidelines; however we recognise the British Mountaineering Council Participant Statement, in that; “that climbing and hillwalking are activities with a danger of personal injury or death. Participants in these activities should be aware of and accept these risks and be responsible for their own actions.”
These weekends are always very popular, so please book your place as soon as possible. Do contact either of us if you have any questions, or if you want to have a general chat about mountain activities.
Richard Goad
Peak Team Leader
County Adviser Mountain Activities
Tel: 07788 751371
Email: peakasu@glswscouts.org.uk
Martin David
Surrey County Hillwalking Adviser
Email: martin.david@surrey-scouts.org.uk
Tel: 07563 552246
Snowdonia