Heather Morning, the MCofS mountain safety adviser

Scotland’s representative body for mountaineers is offering cut-price courses to help novice walkers find their way.

The Mountaineering Council of Scotland’s mountain safety adviser Heather Morning will run a series of basic training days for less experienced hillwalkers who want to improve their skills. The council’s chief warned that increasingly popular Global Positioning System devices are no alternative to navigation knowledge.

A one-day basic navigation course will run in Edinburgh on either 12 or 13 September, with a similar training day offered in Glasgow the following weekend.

Training in using GPS receivers safely will take place at Glenmore Lodge, near Aviemore, on 3 or 4 October. A basic first-aid course, for MCofS members only, will run at Glen Feshie on 24 and 25 October.

Cost of the navigation courses, which are open to non members, is £25, including a free Ordnance Survey map and time with a qualified mountain leader. The MCofS members’ first-aid training will cost £85, including accommodation.

Ms Morning said: “Getting lost and poor navigation are the most frequent causes of mountain incidents and rescue team callouts. Our aim is to provide entry-level navigation skills at a price anyone can afford.”

The courses are being run on a not-for-profit basis.

David Gibson, the MCofS’s chief officer added “For starters, we want all mountaineers to be competent in map and compass work.

“GPS has its uses and our new course is geared towards getting the best use out of the technology. In our view, technology is no substitute for technique and the best way to avoid becoming a statistic is to have basic map and compass skills.”

Anyone interested in taking up one of the courses can find details on the MCofS website or by ringing 01738 493943.