NNAS Gold Course
The ideal course for those who want to venture out with confidence in any terrain in all weathers. The navigational standard of the course is similar to that of the Hill and Moorland Leader or Mountain Leader award.
Having taught navigation all over the globe, Beyond the Edge strongly believes that the Peak District is one of the best locations for practicing navigation with its mix of featureless plateaus, deep groughs and rolling hills.
Who is it for ?
To get the most from the NNAS Gold course, you should be able to walk on a bearing and be confident following a route on the map along paths or tracks with some deviations across open ground.
NNAS Gold – Course Overview
This course is identical to our Advanced Navigation course except you will be assessed for the NNAS Gold award. The increased price pays for the NNAS certification and extra administration required by NNAS.
We will refresh the finer points of on path navigation skills before getting to grips with the more complex aspects of navigating cross country in complex terrain. This will involve finding smaller and smaller points on the map including learning simple search techniques to find an exact location.
If you have not completed the Intermediate Navigation / NNAS silver course or a similar recognised course we would encourage you to contact the office to discuss booking on the course.
If you wish to be awarded the NNAS Gold certificate must complete a pre-course study paper and a post-course study paper in order to successfully pass the award. If you would like to complete the course without the certificate the Advanced Navigation course would be more suitable.
Beyond the Edge are one of the UKs most experienced providers of mountain training courses and they are both highly informative and run by hugely experienced trainers. Importantly in our opinion, they are also fun and run in a friendly manner. We take great pride in the very high percentage of individuals who return for further courses.
Advanced Navigation – Course Format
The days are flexible to suit the prevailing weather conditions. A standard outline would be:
Start 9am Bamford
- Revision of navigational techniques
- Revision of simple and advanced navigational strategies
- Back bearings, Transects, Aspect of Slope
- Exact distance measurement in undulating terrain
- Navigation by contours alone
- Navigational skills & strategies for low visibility
- Search techniques for finding precise points
We return from the hill for evening meal at about 1630 before heading out again at 1900 for night navigation. We normally finish at about 2300.
Day 2
Start 09:00
- Practicing skills from Day 1 on more challenging terrain
- Relocating when geographically challenged
- Use of altimeters
- Use of GPS and Mobile phones
Close 16:00ish
Course Details
- Location: Peak District
- Cost: £229 per person
- Duration: 2 days
- Ratio: 1:4
- Level: Advanced
More Information
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Course Dates
From May to the end of August, we don’t run night navigation as part of the NNAS Gold. Darkness doesn’t arrive until very late and we like our sleep…
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Bespoke Dates and Locations
If there are no dates suitable, and you would like to take your NNAS Gold, please contact the office and we will arrange some dates to suit your diary. Our bespoke pricing list is here.
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Meeting Point
The NNAS Gold course will meet at 9am in the Anglers Rest in Bamford (S33 0DY) in the Hope Valley.
Tea, coffee and the legendary biscuit tin 🍪🍪 are available from about 8:45.
Bamford has ample free parking, good bus and train links to Sheffield and a good train link to Manchester. It is a 1km walk from Bamford train station to the Anglers.
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Equipment Required
A full kit list with recommendations as to what works best is contained in the Joining Instructions. These also contain a host of helpful tips and links to articles and videos to help you get the most out of the course.
In short you need hillwalking kit for two days including a compass and a map!
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Recommended Reading
Whilst it is not required to read anything before the course (apart from the joining instructions!). The official handbook of Mountain Training (National Governing Body for Walking and Climbing Leadership awards) that covers navigation contains lots of useful information. It is:
Mountain Training Handbook, Volume 4, Navigation in the mountains. Carlo Forte. -
Fitness Level
These are longer days on the hill than average (about 6-7 hours). The terrain we cover is undulating and similar to that you would find on a HML or ML assessment.
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Accommodation Options
The NNAS Gold course is non-residential to allow you to select between a thermarest or 5 star hotel as you require.
There is lots of accommodation in the Hope Valley and a selection of options are listed on our Accommodation page.
If you are struggling to find something or want something special, contact the office and we will endeavour to assist.
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FAQs
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How do I book NNAS Gold Course?
The best way to book your NNAS Gold is via this webpage. Choose the date from the options on the above and then submit your booking and pay. If your course is under six weeks away you must pay the full amount.
For bespoke events get in touch first so we can check diaries and if required give you a quote. Get in touch by either calling the office on 01142 631 155 or emailing us.
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Does the NNAS Gold include accommodation ?
Not usually! We prefer to let you choose where you will be most comfortable. This may be in a tent or in a luxury hotel.
In the Peak District we work out of the Anglers Rest in Bamford (S33 0DY) in the Hope Valley.
There are lots of accommodation options in the valley and a selection can be found on our accommodation page.
For bespoke courses and events we can arrange whatever you desire from a bivouac under the stars to a spa hotel.
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Children, Parking, Dogs, COVID and everything else...
You will find all of the most frequently asked questions and their answers on our FAQ webpage
