Mountain
Medicine

Mountain training is the introduction to teaching individuals how to walk, climb and hike in the great outdoors. We perform our mountain training sessions in the beautiful South Wales scenery surrounding the Brecon Beacons.

Our mountain training involves teaching people of all ages how to use maps and compasses, assess dangers and weather warnings, and navigate and coordinate whilst walking.

Mountain training can begin at any level. You don’t need any experience and you don’t need to be a fitness guru! Training is typically part of a group, but can be done one-to-one if preferred.

There are a number of mountain skills you learn whilst mountain walking. Here are some of the skills you’re likely to be taught when you journey with Mountain Medicine:

• Map reading
• Mountain safety procedures
• Navigation techniques
• Night time navigation
• Compass reading
• Knowledge of hazards, warnings & weather warnings
• Personal equipment training
• Risk assessment
• Survival skills

Mountain walking simply means walking in mountain or hill areas. It doesn’t strictly involve rock climbing or gorge walking, though these often come hand in hand.

Mountain walking in the Brecon Beacons involves learning the many different paths and routes, each with their own history, background and difficulty. When you walk with Mountain Medicine you can choose your terrain, difficulty and speed. The walks are completely customised to your skill set.

Mountain walking can be done in a group or one-to-one with your Mountain Leaders Phill & Janine.

Preparing for a hill walk doesn’t have to take a lot of time. For starters you’ll want to prepare your equipment. If you’re just starting out you may not have all the latest kit, but it’s important to have the basics:

• Proper walking shoes with decent support
• A large water bottle
• Extra layers
• Hat, scarf & gloves

When it comes to fitness, it’s important to stay in shape before your big hike. Morning stretches, lunges and squats are a good way to encourage blood flow and muscle movement.

Any uphill walking can improve the overall endurance of the lower half of the body. Whilst hill walking isn’t necessarily a known tactic for building muscle, it can increase the strength and fitness of the core, glutes and legs.

The most important part of navigation is the planning; understanding your map can be tricky. Take 10 minutes to plan your route, so you’ll be able to pinpoint where you are at what time.

Set yourself goals and time frames, so you’ll know if something has gone awry and you may need help. And learn to use your compass. This is absolutely vital before beginning your route.

Poor visibility can be a serious risk in the mountains. It’s important to stop, take a moment to evaluate and conduct a risk assessment.

If conditions are still manageable and you are not near sudden drops, water or other dangers, consider setting up camp if possible, keeping yourself and the group safe while the fog passes.

Alternatively, if you can’t come to a complete stop, lay the compass on the map and rotate it to north, waiting until both the map and compass line up together.

The best course depends on the individual. There’s no single best course as it relies on your own skill set and endurance. Starting at beginner level is the best place, then working your way through to advanced navigation, night navigation and beyond.

Simply walking as part of a group, or with another person, who offers instructions and directions, often on a tour of a new destination. Our guided walks take place across the Brecon Beacons and Snowdonia National Parks.

A guided walk or tour depends on the duration of the hike, the difficulty, the number of participants and the distance travelled. For example, you may expect to pay more for a 4–6 hour hike across Snowdonia at high altitude than for a 1–3 hour walk in the Brecon Beacons. See our Brecon Beacons prices or ask for a quote.