Hillwalking
At Yr Hafod we run courses for Scout hillwalking permits and the nationally recognised Mountain Leader qualification.
Click here if you want more details on how the Scout permit system relates to the Mountain Training qualifications.
Scout Hillwalking Permits
We run regular Scout hillwalking permit training and assessment weekends throughout the year. All our courses are run by fully qualified volunteer staff most holding Mountain Leader or higher.
All courses include food and accommodation. The centre is open for arrival the evening before the course starts.
Our courses cover training or assessment, not both, if you don’t know if you’re ready for assessment or you’re not sure if you should attend a Terrain 1 or 2 course please check out our FAQs and the Course info in the table below which is available to download as a pdf:
| 2025 | Terrain 1 Training | Terrain 2 Training | Terrain 1 Assessment | Terrain 2 Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £120 | £120 | £120 | £120 | |
| Course Info | Course Info | Course Info | Course Info | |
| Availability | Availability | Availability | Availability | |
| 12-13 April | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| 26-27 April | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| 10-11 May | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| 07-08 June | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| 05-06 July | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| 06-07 Sept | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| 20-21 Sept | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| 04-05 Oct | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| 08-09 Nov | Y | Y | Y | Y |
Mountain Leader Training and Assessment
For those at the top of their game, we provide the nationally recognised Mountain Leader qualification. If you love leading people in the outdoors and want the option to use your qualifications outside of Scouts then the ML is for you. Our Mountain Leader courses are open to members of the Scout Association and the general public.
We run our Mountain Leader as a sandwich course over a series of weekends to make them more accessible to volunteers.
Before you book please make sure you have attained the minimum number of Quality Mountain Days (QMDs) and have them logged on Mountain Training’s DLog (digital logbook). For more details on the Mountain Leader scheme visit the Mountain Training site.
Mountain Leader Training
A minimum of 20 Quality Mountain Days is required before booking onto an ML Training course. They need to be stored on Mountain Training’s DLog (digital logbook)
Our courses are split over three weekends to make them more accessible to volunteers. You must attend all three weekends to complete the course.
| Availability | First Weekend | Second Weekend | Third Weekend | Scout Member Price | Non-Scout Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 2025 | Yes | 12-13 April | 26-27 April | 10-11 May | £480 | £600 |
| Autumn 2025 | Yes | 06-07 Sept | 20-21 Sept | 04-05 Oct | £480 | £600 |
All courses include food and accommodation. The centre is open for arrival the evening before the course starts.
You must register with Mountain Training before booking one of our Mountain Leader training courses. Please see the Mountain Training site for more details.
Mountain Leader Assessment
A minimum of 40 Quality Mountain Days is required before booking onto an ML Assessment course. They need to be stored on Mountain Training’s DLog (digital logbook
Our courses are split over two weekends to make them more accessible to volunteers. You must attend both weekends to complete the course.
| Availability | First Weekend (2 days) | Second Weekend (3 days) | Scount Member Price | Non-Scout Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 2025 | Yes | 12-13 April | 25-27 April | £440 | £560 |
| Autumn 2025 | Yes | 06-07 Sept | 19-21 Sept | £440 | £560 |
All courses include food and accommodation. The centre is open for arrival the evening before the course starts.
Scout Hillwalking Permits and Mountain Training
Yr Hafod is a registered provider of Mountain Training courses and offers nationally recognised courses to complement our Scout adventurous activities training. Mountain Training and the Scouts have been working together for decades thanks to our shared interest in walking, climbing, and mountaineering. Many Scout leaders go on to gain one or more of our qualifications and many of the people who already hold our qualifications find themselves working with the Scouts, which requires a permit.
So we’ve teamed up to create an infographic that showcases the pathways and opportunities for everyone involved. It is not designed to be prescriptive or limiting and the Scout permit system remains separate from Mountain Training’s qualifications. Its aim is to enable everyone to understand the options available at every stage of their development.
If you want further advice on whether to go for a Scout hillwalking permit or a Mountain Training qualification check out our FAQs.
Click here to download a PDF of the infographic. The PDF contains links to the respective qualifications.
