Learn Navigation for Walkers: Lake District Map Skills Course
Enhance your walking confidence with our non-residential, two-day Lake District navigation course - learning essential map reading and route planning skills in a supportive and sociable group, guided by an expert. Available on a limited number of open dates or book your own exclusive course.
Experience Type: Multi-Day Experience
Duration: 2 Days (non-residential)
Meeting Location: Ambleside
Group Size: Maximum 8
Level: Leisurely Plus
Age: 16+ (under 18s must be accompanied by parent/guardian throughout)
Dogs: No dogs, except trained assistance dogs
In a Nutshell:
Two-day non-residential course in the Lake District.
Learn map reading, landscape reading and route following.
Small, sociable group with an expert guide to lead the course.
Based on foot from Ambleside, no driving required during the course.
Opportunity to join a WhatsApp group for coordination and social plans.
Join one of our existing Open Course dates or book your own exclusive Hire a Guide date.
For those seeking a more Advanced Mountain Navigation Course please visit our navigation courses page for further details of alternative courses.
Book on an Open Course
Hire a Guide - book your own exclusive course
1 to 2 participants - £550
3 to 8 participants - £880
9 or more participants - please contact us for a quote.
Boost your walking confidence with our navigation course…
Are you looking to enhance your walking confidence? Join our Learn Navigation course, designed just for you. Over two days, this non-residential course will teach you the basics of map reading and how to feel confident exploring new routes. Enjoy the beauty of the Lake District while learning essential navigation skills from an expert guide. By the end of the course, you'll go from saying "where the heck are we?" to confidently declaring "this way" with a map and compass in hand.
What We Cover:
Introduction to the map and compass (which are provided for use during your course)
Locating features
Reading the landscape
Following a route
Understanding where you are allowed to walk
Planning a hill walk
We also include a Cicerone Navigation Guide Book for each participant, which is yours to make notes in and use on your outdoors adventures after the course.
Our Open Course is run over two days and based from Ambleside in the Lake District. There are plenty of accommodation options for you to choose from locally, if required. Whatever your needs, budget and length of stay, you can book something that suits you. We highly recommend booking accommodation in advance if required, to ensure availability, as the area does get busy.
We will walk directly from the meeting location in Ambleside on each day, eliminating the need for driving during the course. If you are using our Hire a Guide service then you can choose to either meet in the same location or an alternative spot around Ambleside.
The goal across all our courses is to learn while enjoying a sociable, non-intimidating environment. We usually walk around 5-8 miles each day as we explore the hills. This experience is graded as Leisurely Plus - click here to see Large Outdoors’ Experience Levels.
If you book an Open Course date, we will invite you to join a WhatsApp group for this event. Joining the group is encouraged if you’re keen to find roommates, arrange car shares, and/or make plans for evening meals with other participants. After all, Large Outdoors is all about making outdoor adventures sociable!
Suggested Itinerary
Here’s what we’ve got planned - of course, we may have to offer alternatives or make amendments if the weather misbehaves or other unexpected situations arise!
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You’ll meet your guide at a local café in Ambleside for introductions and a briefing over a brew (not included). Ensure you have all your walking kit as we will head straight out into the nearby hills.
We will stay at lower elevations to begin, focusing on the basics of navigation, including map reading, understanding compass use, and identifying landscape features.
The day will be filled with navigational puzzles and practical tips, all in a relaxed and supportive environment. In the evening, you are free to do your own thing - perhaps you'll join your fellow participants to explore Ambleside, or enjoy a social dinner.
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We’ll reconvene at the same café for a morning catch-up and perhaps another brew if desired (not included). Today's activities will take us to higher, more rugged terrain, building on the skills learned on Day 1.
We’ll practice more advanced techniques, ask questions, and enjoy a different route. The aim is to deepen your understanding of navigation while enjoying the stunning scenery. The course will conclude by 5pm with a final debrief before you head home.
Post-Course: Now it's over to you! Get out there and enjoy new walks and locations. The best way to improve is to keep practicing what you've learned.
Essential Information
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Meeting Time: 8:30am
Meeting Location:
Esquires Coffee
14 Market Cross
Ambleside
LA22 9BTParking: There is ample pay-and-display parking options available in Ambleside.
Public Transport: Ambleside is located approx. 5 miles from Windermere Train Station, with services to/from Kendal, London Euston and Manchester. There are various bus routes from Windermere (and other Lake District locations) to Ambleside.
Finish Time: We aim to finish on the final day by 5pm - the exact finish time may depend on the planned/chosen activity, group dynamic, weather conditions, whether the group chooses to grab a coffee or meal together during/after, etc. If you’ve travelled via public transport, please ensure you book onward travel accordingly (i.e. an open return ticket), to allow for flexibility.
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Included:
• A Large Outdoors guide to welcome you and provide 2 days of navigation instruction.
• Maps and compasses provided for use during the course.
• Cicerone navigation guide book.
• The chance to make new friends and meet like-minded people - Large Outdoors is all about making outdoor adventures sociable.
• Pre-event support from the Large Outdoors team - give us a shout if there’s any advice or information you need and check out our Blog for useful articles too.
Not Included:
• Accommodation - this is a non-residential course. You can choose to stay wherever you fancy if you don't live nearby.
• Travel to and from the meeting location.
• Any extra (i.e. not mentioned above in ‘Included’) excursions or activities that you may partake in which incur a cost.
• Any food, drinks or goods you choose to purchase at any shops, restaurant, pubs or cafés visited.
• Travel/activity insurance - we recommend having insurance to cover, at a minimum: cancellation and curtailment; medical and emergency expenses (including repatriation); personal accident; injury and death.
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Please see our General Walking Lit List
The compulsory items are selected for your safety, which is of paramount importance to us at Large Outdoors. Each participant should be carrying the items listed.
We do provide maps and compasses to use during this experience, but if you have your own feel free to bring them.
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• What level of fitness is needed?
This trip is graded as Leisurely Plus. Click here to see Large Outdoors’ Experience Levels.• Can I attend on my own?
Absolutely. The majority of our participants are solo travellers and adventurers. Plenty of fun, laughter and numerous long-term friendships (and a few marriages!) have begun on Large Outdoors experiences since 2008, so there’s no need to feel worried about your first experience, or indeed trying a new type of outdoor activity, with us.• What transport is provided during this trip?
We do not provide any transport for this experience. We will walk from the meeting location each day (returning back here at the end of each day).• Can I bring my dog?
Dogs are not allowed on this experience, except for trained assistance dogs. If you wish to bring your trained assistance dog, please let us know in advance of booking so we can discuss the activity and any additional safety requirements or considerations that may be necessary.
This map is provided for guidance regarding the general location. For detailed meeting information, please refer to the 'Meeting Time & Location' section.