Lowland Leader and Hill and Moorland Leader: lead your first groups

• What it is: Mountain Training's first two walking leader qualifications.
• What you need first: Lowland Leader: you must be 17 to register and train, and 18 for assessment. Hill and Moorland Leader: you must be 18, have a year of hill walking behind you and be a member of the BMC, Mountaineering Scotland or Mountaineering Ireland.
• What you'll learn: Planning and leading safe walks, navigation, group management, weather and emergency procedures.
• How long it takes: Lowland Leader: 2 days of training and 2 days of assessment. Hill and Moorland Leader: 3 days of each.
• Cost: Registration is £69 for each award. Training and assessment prices are set by providers.
• What's next: The Mountain Leader award (walking track)

This is where you stop following and start leading. Both awards are built on days out you've logged yourself.

Lowland Leader

This is for leading walkers through lowland countryside, woodland and similar places.

• Before training: 10 quality lowland walks, or a Hill Skills course.
• Before assessment: 20 quality lowland walks in different types of terrain, or 10 walks plus a Hill Skills course, and a current first aid certificate from an in-person course of at least two full days (16 hours) with an assessment.

Mountain Training says the average time from training to passing is less than a year.

Hill and Moorland Leader

This is for open, non-mountainous hill country such as Dartmoor, the Peak District, the North York Moors, the Pentland Hills and the Sperrins.

• Before training: 20 quality hill days.
• Before assessment: 40 quality hill days in at least three upland areas of the UK or Ireland, and the same first aid certificate.

Mountain Training says the average time from training to passing is 1.4 years.

Source: Lowland Leader and Hill and Moorland Leader, Mountain Training, checked October 2026.

Governing body: British Mountaineering Council (BMC) for England and Wales. Leader and instructor awards come from Mountain Training, and coasteering standards come from the National Coasteering Charter, so these are the official places to find out more.

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

The club map lists some of the UK clubs for this sport. It is a starting point, so check with the club before you travel. To have a coach found for you, use the enquiry form.