Step by step · 11 guides

Mountaineering and climbing: from first hill to pro

Start with the basics, then pick a track. The walking track takes you to the Mountain Leader award. The climbing track goes from your first rope to instructing and coaching. Both end with kit, costs and safety.

Quick links

Prices

What it costs

Experience day
£55 to £150 per person
Become qualified
£450 to £1,000 (Rock Climbing Instructor to Mountain Leader; registration extra)
Hourly
£40 to £70 an hour (outdoor coach)

Typical prices, checked October 2026. The club or coach sets and bills the price.

Governing body

Competitions

Start here

  1. Step 1: How to start mountaineering, coasteering and rock climbingYour first steps in hill walking, coasteering and rock climbing. Then pick a track.Read the guide →

Walking and leading track

  1. Step 2: Hill Skills and Mountain Skills: walk the hills on your own termsTwo-day courses to become an independent hill and mountain walker.Read the guide →
  2. Step 3: Lowland Leader and Hill and Moorland Leader: lead your first groupsLowland Leader and Hill and Moorland Leader, your first group-leading awards.Read the guide →
  3. Step 4: The Mountain Leader award: take groups into wild mountains40 quality mountain days and wild camps: the classic UK mountain award.Read the guide →
  4. Step 5: Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor: the all-rounderMulti-pitch and mountain instructing. Needs the Mountain Leader award plus serious climbing, so both tracks meet here.Read the guide →

Climbing track

  1. Step 6: Rock Skills: from your first rope to leading tradFour courses, from your first rope to leading sport and trad.Read the guide →
  2. Step 7: Climbing Wall Instructor: run safe sessions indoorsInstructing climbing and bouldering sessions indoors.Read the guide →
  3. Step 8: Rock Climbing Instructor: take groups onto real rockInstructing on single-pitch crags and walls.Read the guide →
  4. Step 9: Climbing coaching awards: help climbers move betterFoundation, Development and Performance Coach: helping climbers move better.Read the guide →
  5. Step 10: Climbing competitions: from youth rounds to British titlesThe Youth Climbing Series, trials and British Championships.Read the guide →

For everyone

  1. Step 11: Mountaineering and climbing: kit, costs and safetyPrices, membership, the under-18s licensing law and safety basics. Both tracks end here.Read the guide →

Ready to start? The club map lists some of the UK clubs for this sport, or use the enquiry form to have a coach found for you.