The National Navigation Award Scheme (NNAS) is a personal performance, non-competitive, incentive scheme for all ages to learn navigation skills and gain confidence to get out and enjoy the countryside. Graham Uney Mountaineering is an approved provider of the National Navigation Award Scheme, and for 2025 we will be offering the Bronze Navigator and the Silver Navigator.
On all of our courses we offer a friendly, sociable and supportive learning environment, all run by experienced, knowledgeable instructors.
Which NNAS course should I do?
Bronze Navigator
The Bronze Award covers the essential map reading skills. You'll learn about using “handrail features”, like paths and walls, to guide you along your way. We’ll look at measuring distances, both on the map and on the ground, and delve into what all those symbols mean on the map, and learn how to understand map scale. You’ll also learn the basics of how to use a compass and how to use it with your map to ensure you don’t get lost. A bronze course will take you from relying on apps, friends or guidebooks to being able to plan a walk and follow it successfully.
Silver Navigator
On a Silver Navigator Award course, you’ll start to leave the paths behind. You'll navigate in open country on short bearings. As your confidence increases you’ll learn more advanced compass skills and add timing and pacing into the mix too. During the course you’ll discover more about contours, and how they relate to the ground we’re walking over, and delve into what we call ‘navigation strategies’, what they are and how we use them to aid our navigation.
Silver courses take place on more difficult terrain and away from easy-to-follow paths and trails.
Bronze Navigator course dates and cost 2025
May 10th - 11th £160pp, 8 places available
June 4th - 5th £160pp, 8 places available
July 17th - 18th £160pp, 8 places available
August 23rd - 24th £160pp, 7 places available
October 4th - 5th £160pp, 8 places available
November 15th - 16th £160pp, 8 places available
Silver Navigator course dates and cost 2025
April 14th -15th £180pp, 5 places available
May 31st - June 1st £180pp, 8 places available
July 19th - 20th £180pp, 8 places available
September 1st - 2nd £180pp, 8 places available
November 22nd - 23rd £180pp, 8 places available
All of our NNAS courses are run in the eastern part of the Lake District, meeting first in the village of Bampton, just off the M6 near Shap. For our Bronze Navigator courses we focus on the many paths and tracks and other linear features of the Lowther Valley, while for the Silver Navigator we use the more rugged, off-path terrain of Bampton Common, the Shap Fells, or Askham Common.
Both our Bronze and Silver courses start each day at 9.30am, and finish around 4.30pm
Join one of our NNAS Courses.
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