Winter navigation course

Navigation takes on an extra dimension in winter, when snow, weather and limited daylight hours all add different challenges to finding your way around the mountains in safety. This course is designed to equip you to face up to these challenges with confidence.

THIS IS OUR MOST PHYSICALLY DEMANDING COURSE, candidates MUST be fit enough to spend 8 hours on the hill and ascend up onto the Cairngorm Plateau in the dark in hostile conditions. If you are unsure whether this course is for you, please contact us at info@mountaineering.scot.

Fitness level 4

Our most demanding courses. A very high level of fitness is required over many hours. Rough terrain and hostile weather conditions will be encountered. You will be required to carry safety specific equipment which will make your rucksack significantly heavier than it is for summer day hikes. 

Maximum distance 15km, maximum ascent 1000m per day. Physically demanding.

What you'll learn

A full day of intensive winter navigation training with particular consideration to avoidance of avalanche-prone slopes and cornice features. Techniques may include contour interpretation, walking on bearings, timing, aiming off, boxing, attack points, pacing, and more. After a planning session in the classroom, we will head outside and hopefully experience the challenge of poor visibility navigation. Depending on the date, this might be before or after twilight. This is not a night navigation course but be prepared for this to happen and know how to use your headtorch, with your gloves on! 

The courses will be held in the Northern Cairngorms, meeting at the Tiso Store in Aviemore and travelling in our own cars to starting point for our time on the hill.  

We work on an instructor to student ratio of 1:6

Is this course suitable for you?

  • All course participants MUST have completed a winter skills training course either with Mountaineering Scotland or another provider and be familiar with the use of ice axe and crampons prior to attending this course as well as the basic skills of kicking and cutting steps with their RIGID winter mountaineering boots. 
  • Under exceptional circumstances we will accept people who have not attended a formal winter skills training course but who have considerable personal experience.  Please contact us if you think this applies to you.
  • Course participants must provide all their own equipment.
  • Course participants MUST be fit enough to spend 8-9 hours on the hill and ascend up onto the Cairngorm plateau in hostile conditions.

Winter conditions: Our priority is to deliver the course aims and learning outcomes as effectively as possible, adapting to the prevailing weather, snow and mountain conditions. We will aim to cover as much of the course outline as conditions allow. As snow and weather conditions are beyond our control, we cannot guarantee that every aspect of the course will be covered. However, we will always provide relevant training, instruction and coaching. Reaching a summit is not an objective of the course and will only be considered where it supports the learning and conditions are suitable.   

Under 18s: Participants aged 14-17 may be accepted on this course where it is considered appropriate for their prior experience, fitness and course aims. Please contact Mountaineering Scotland before booking so we can discuss suitability, previous experience and what the participant hopes to gain from the course. For courses where accommodation is included, participants aged 14-17 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian who is also booked onto the course. If the course is suitable, we will provide instructions from completing the booking. 

2026-27 Courses

Bookings open 1 October 2026

You MUST have attended a winter skills course prior to attending the navigation course.

  • Sunday 6 December 2026 - Winter navigation (Aviemore/Cairngorms) - Book now
  • Wednesday 6 January 2027 - Winter navigation (Aviemore/Cairngorms) - Book now

Meeting Point

  • Tiso Aviemore Outdoor Experience Store, Unit 1, Aviemore Retail Park, Santa Claus Drive Aviemore, PH22 1RH


Cost: £60 for Mountaineering Scotland members. 

Not a member? Join here  have access to all our skills courses, member offers, magazine, e-news and more! The course fee does NOT cover equipment, accommodation or transport.


    What to bring

    It is VITAL that you come prepared for a full day in the winter mountains - download the list of essential winter kit below.

    • What's provided: Mountaineering Scotland will provide helmets and an appropriate map, map case and compass where needed, although you can use your own.
    • What you need to bring: You will need to be equipped for a full day in the hills in winter conditions with adequate warm and waterproof outdoor clothing, winter boots, ice axe and crampons, as well as plenty of food and drink (ideally some warm drink) - see the full kit list below. 
    • You will also need a good quality head torch (min 300 lumens) plus spare head torch and/or batteries.  It is essential that you know how to use your headtorch, before you need it. 

    Not sure if you have the right boots? Read more about winter boots here

    Winter kit list (.pdf) 

    If you have any questions regarding the suitability of your kit or indeed any other questions about the course please contact us in advance.

    Need to hire some kit?

    If you don't have winter boots or crampons, here are a few options for hiring them:

    Aviemore:

    • Tiso Aviemore Outdoor Experience, Aviemore PH22 1RH  - email cs_aviemore_oe@tiso.co.uk
    • Cairngorm Mountain Supplies, Aviemore. Tel 01479 810903 / cairngorm@braemarmountainsports.com

    How to book

    To take part in our mountain safety courses, you need to be over 18 and a member of Mountaineering Scotland. Thanks to your membership, we can subsidise the costs of our courses and offer them at affordable prices for all. 

    Pre-booking is essential. Please read the course information and booking and cancellation conditions - by making a booking you are agreeing to these terms. 

    • Mountaineering Scotland members can book and pay easily and quickly online in our members’ portal. 
    • If you are not a Mountaineering Scotland member, you can buy membership and book your course at the same time online in our members portal.


    Our cancellation policy:

    • Cancellations 7 days or less before the course date are non refundable and non-transferable.
    • Cancellations less than 4 weeks before a course date - we will only offer a refund or transfer if we find a replacement to take your place (admin fee applies)
    • Cancellations more than 4 weeks before the course date will incur a £10 admin fee per booking to cover admin costs.

    Course Delivery and Cancellation by Mountaineering Scotland:

    • We endeavour to run all courses as planned. However, for operational reasons, we may from time to time need to amend or cancel a booking. Courses will proceed as scheduled unless an Amber or Red weather warning is in place for the meeting location. Where such a warning applies, the course may be cancelled, postponed or have its start time adjusted due to the increased risk associated with travel to and from the venue.  
    • Winter courses are designed to run in a wide range of mountain conditions. Where snow cover, weather or ground conditions are less than ideal, we will adapt the teaching approach, location and activities to ensure the course remains safe, effective and focused on achieving the intended learning outcomes.  
    • In the event of a cancellation by Mountaineering Scotland, participants will be offered either a full refund of the course fee or the option to transfer to another course of the same cost, subject to availability. 

    If you have any questions please get in touch.

    Previous participants said:

    • It felt totally alien to be gaining height as night fell, even a bit of apprehension but in fact my surroundings and positional awareness were very clear, a strange feeling! But weirdly finding I would do it again.
    • A memorable experience, thanks again to you both.
    • The course was well planned by Heather and she engaged the group well throughout - as an example there were route choice options and decisions on the plateau in which the group was fully involved.  I found the whole course immensely rewarding and I gained valuable experience.  As a result I will be more self-reliant and able to discuss decision making about route choice with colleagues and make informed choices.
    • While the skills weren't completely new to me, your top instruction has made a few previously woolly concepts clear in my mind. Can't wait to get out and put them into practice over the winter season.