Who should I register with?
You should normally register with the organisation which covers your home nation e.g. candidates living in Scotland should register with Mountain Leader Training Scotland.

Do I have to register for each Scheme and how long does registration last?
You must register with each individual scheme but this is a one-off fee and a one-off process. There is no annual Training Board fee. Candidates who have completed ML training must still register with the WGL scheme if they intend to use ML training as a stepping stone to WGL assessment. When you register on your first scheme you will be issued with a unique number which will be used to identify you throughout that and any other subsequent schemes.

Should I enter the Mountain Leader or Walking Group Leader Scheme?
ML involves wild camping, movement on steep ground and some rope work whereas WGL does not involve steep or rocky terrain and includes valley camps and the overnight experience. WGL assessment candidates have to navigate with the same accuracy as on ML, but over ‘moorland’ terrain. WGL terrain is well defined by obvious boundaries, such as roads and coastlines and any hazards within it are identifiable and avoidable.

How do I get Exemption from Training?
If you have an exceptionally high level of experience you may be granted exemption from the training course but you must first register on the appropriate scheme and request an exemption application on the registration form. Then you should submit the exemption application form together with a copy of your completed logbook and the appropriate fee. There is no exemption from assessment.

Can overseas experience count towards the total of logged experience for the SPA, ML or WGL Schemes?
All experience is valuable and there is a section in the logbook to include overseas experience. The SPA, WGL and ML awards are UK awards and relate to the United Kingdom and Ireland. However if your experience is obtained in terrain similar to that encountered in the UK and Ireland, then a small proportion of routes/quality days may be included as part of the requirement for your training course.

Who organises the training?
Mountain Leader Training is organised through the four home nations for SPA, WGL and ML. Mountain Leader Training Scotland runs the Winter Mountain Leader Award, Mountain Leader Training UK runs the IML, MIA and MIC schemes and the British Association of Mountain Guides administer their own scheme. Between them they provide training and assessment for those who lead, instruct and guide others in the complete range of mountain activities.

How do I know that the course is genuine?
To verify your attendance on a course the Course Provider will put a dated, signed or stamped sticker on the appropriate page in your logbook. These stickers are only supplied to approved Course Providers and this income is used to support the work of Mountain Leader Training. Contact your Training Board with any queries concerning Course Providers.

Once I have passed, what do I do?
You should keep up to date through a combination of continued experience (work and play), further training and information from Mountain Leader Training and the Mountaineering Councils.

Who uses the Awards?
Organisations such as local authority education establishments and voluntary youth organisations use the awards. Specific users range from teachers to youth workers, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award assessors, Scout leaders and commercial operators. These awards are benchmarks of competence in the outdoors and are recognised by many organisations, including the Department for Education and Skills and the HSE’s Adventure Activity Licensing Scheme.

What is a valid First Aid qualification?

First Aid is an essential skill and the assessment of the Awards requires a current first aid qualification. The minimum requirement is that such a course must involve at least two full days or sixteen hours of instruction and include an element of assessment. Candidates are further expected to undertake such additional elements of first aid training as are consistent with their work in wild and remote country, including emergency assistance and evacuation techniques.  It is the responsibility of award holders and/or their employers to evaluate their likely work and the type of situations that they can reasonably expect to encounter and to maintain current appropriate first aid training and qualifications.

What is a Single Pitch Climb?
For the purposes of the SPA scheme, a single pitch route is one which:

• is climbed without intermediate stances
• is described as a single pitch in the guidebook
• allows climbers to be lowered to the ground at all times
• is non-tidal
• is non-serious and has little objective danger
• presents no difficulties on approach or retreat, such as route finding, scrambling or navigating

What is a Quality Mountain Day?
In terms of experience, the quality of a mountain day lies in a range of factors that make a positive contribution towards a person’s development and maturity as an all round mountaineer. Usually some or all of these criteria would be fulfilled:

• The individual takes part in the planning and leadership.
• Adverse conditions may be encountered and navigation skills are required away from marked paths.
• Experience must be in terrain and weather that is comparable to UK and Irish hills.
• Attention is paid to safety, knowledge is increased and skills practised.
• Five hours or more journey time.
• It is more than likely that such a day will involve the ascent of a significant mountain.

Where can I use my Award?
The SPA, WGL and ML are valid throughout the UK and Ireland.