MOUNTAIN LOG NEWS 32 If you’ve done Mountain Leader training, you can do the Lowland Leader Assessment without having to do further training. Alternatively, you can do Lowland Leader training on the road to the assessment and, like the Mountain Leader programme, there is a consolidation period involving gaining experience in different regions and leading groups. The Lowland Leader programme is probably more weighted toward planning hikes, group experience and leadership skills, together with nature and conservation information, all of which I enjoyed. Also, like the Mountain Leader programme, it requires strong navigation and emergency management skills. A current outdoor first aid course is also required. The remit of the Lowland Leader is day walking, broadly anywhere there is a trail or track marked on a map and visible on the ground, and where navigation across untracked areas is not required. Also, the group should generally be no more than 3km away from a key access point, such as a lay-by, a car park or populated area. Walks must use bridges or other recognised water crossing points. In Ireland, this includes a lot of terrain, from coastal walks to lowland tracks and trails. The Lowland Leader is an admirable outdoor leadership qualification in its own right, particularly if you’re not planning on taking groups to very remote areas and are happy to work on visible tracks and trails marked on maps. As I said, this covers a lot of ground in Ireland and takes in many great day and multi-day hikes. I am a keen outdoor photographer and am looking forward to combining my Lowland Leader work with my photography and walking. I’m still swimming most of the year and I got some skiing in recently, but I haven’t been scuba diving for a while; it's something I miss. I would definitely recommend the Lowland Leader qualification to anyone interested in taking it on. Pictured this page: A view towards the Caha Mountains from the Beara Way, taken during the Lowland Leader Assessment. Photo: Simon Holmes
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