Duration and times: Two days (12 hours). Sessions last from 09.00 until 16.00 on both days - please arrive on time as you may miss content if you arrive late.

Camping: There will be camping options or you can find your own accommodation locally or return home.

Location: The New Forest, Hampshire

Course content:

This course is the next step for those holding an NNAS Bronze award or those competent in navigating on footpaths with a map. It will provide you with the skills and confidence to navigate away from paths in wild terrain using landscape features and specific navigational strategies.

Wildwood Bushcraft is an official provider of the National Navigation Award Scheme (NNAS) - this means we can provide an accredited and well recognised qualification in Navigation. If you are successful in achieving the pass criteria of this course you will receive an NNAS Silver Award certificate.

If you are primarily interested in the content of this course and do not want the qualification you do not have to be assessed.

Learning outcomes:

• Devise a strategy for a navigational stage, to break it down into 'coarse' and 'fine' navigation and to use clear features en route to check that they are 'on course'.
• Understand and apply the following components of a navigational strategy 'aiming off', 'attack points', 'collecting features', simplifying navigation, and apply them in varying terrain.
• Demonstrate an understanding of contour features, both large and small, on the map and on the ground.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the physical and navigation factors affecting route choice.
• Judge distance accurately on the map and on the ground. Plan a safe walk or route involving Silver award skills and strategies.
• Employ simple relocation strategies when lost.
• Use a compass to follow accurate bearings and to check the direction of footpaths or other linear features on both map and ground.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the effects of fatigue and physical discomfort brought on by navigating in demanding countryside and/or extreme weather condition. Knowledge of basic first aid is also expected.
• Demonstrate knowledge and application of the Countryside Code and current access legislation as for the Bronze level together with an appreciation of basic environmental factors in mixing 'man with nature' (e.g. footpath erosion and methods of dealing with it), and responsibilities towards other countryside interests like farming, forestry and conservation.