Just because someone puts some nice pictures on instagram and seems to do a lot of skydiving, you wouldn’t jump out of a plane with them before asking a few more questions! If you are heading into the mountains, or remote trails of Scotland, you should also have a few questions to ask when choosing a running guide.
Unlike some of the other items we will look at, it might surprise you to learn that the most obvious one is not a legal requirement. When working with adults in the UK, there is no legal obligation to have any sort of qualification for adventurous activities. (Working with under 18s is regulated by the Adventure Activities licensing Scheme)
However, we do have a robust qualification scheme for leading groups in the hills in the UK managed by Mountain Training. By checking your guide has the appropriate qualification, you can be sure they have been assessed in all of the essential skills to keep you safe and give you a quality day out.
The Mountain Leader scheme enables experienced mountain walkers to lead groups in in the mountains, hills and moorlands of the United Kingdom and Ireland in summer conditions. It includes a 6 day training course, a log book requirement of personal experience and a 5 day assessment course.
Amongst other skills, the qualification covers:
This award covers the knowledge required for leading groups in the mountains in winter conditions, where snow and ice prevail and skills, equipment and knowledge specific to winter will be essential.
To become a winter mountain leader, you must already hold the summer mountain leader qualification. The winter scheme again requires an additional 6 day training course, a log book requirement of personal experience and a 5 day assessment course.
Amongst other skills, the qualification covers:
This award is a lower level qualification designed for use in clearly defined terrain, that is easily accessible and free of steep rocky terrain, in summer conditions. It would apply to areas such as the Pentland hills, or Ochills. It still covers navigation and emergency procedures.
The Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor scheme trains and assesses candidates in the skills required for instructing mountaineering, including all aspects of summer rock climbing, the coaching of lead climbing, and scrambling. It builds on the skills acquired in the Mountain Leader qualification, which candidates must hold. It requires extensive personal experience before joining the scheme, including experience working as a Mountain Leader and multi-pitch rock climbing. It then includes a 9 day training course, further personal experience and then a 5 day assessment. It is an incredibly robust and highly regarded professional qualification.
All of the above qualifications are only considered to be valid if the leader holds an appropriate First Aid certificate. The course should be a minimum 2 day course and include specific training for use in remote situations and be more than a basic ‘First aid at work’.
This consists of an online module and then a 3 hour practical session. It does not include any element of assessment. It is designed for club leaders who want to lead groups on runs away from a track environment. It is not in any way intended to be used in remote areas.
Find out more here.
This course aims to prepare you to provide a safe and enjoyable running experience for adults, of any ability, with a focus on typical fell and hill terrains. This will include leading on public paths marked on an Ordnance Survey ‘Explorer’ or ‘Landranger’ map (including those shown on open access land), and the published routes of licensed fell/hill races.
Again this is designed for club coaches to lead groups in familiar terrain. It is important to recognise that this is only a 4 hour course and includes no element of individual assessment. It therefore should not be considered as equivalent to the mountain training courses in any way.
Some terrain that is included in “Skyrunning” events is very clearly mountaineering terrain, Curved Ridge in the Glencoe Skyline event, or Pinnacle ridge in the Lake District series.
However a lot of it, such as the Ring of Steall sits in a grey area between the remit of the mountain leader, or Mountaineering Instructor qualification.
However only the Mountaineering instructor qualification covers coaching of scrambling techniques and the use of a rope to safeguard clients in consequential terrain.
The qualification system ensures a minimum standard of skills and knowledge, but any good leader will develop these skills as they progress through their career. A guide will learn through experience, how best to:
These two are legal requirements:
Anyone operating professionally (i.e charging money) should have professional liability insurance cover to a minimum of £5 million pounds.
As soon as your guiding also comes with any travel or accommodation, the company should adhere to the package travel regulations. This includes financial protection for the customer and further insurances.
To summarise, if all you want from a guide is that they know the way and they can chat about running, then don’t pay for it, join a club! You will find a whole host of experienced runners who are willing to take you along on their adventures.
If you are going to pay for a professional service, demand more for your money and consider how well you will be looked after should something go wrong.
Trail Running Scotland Ltd. Company registration number SC786843