UKC

I got exemption from training and sit my assessment 2 weeks hence.

I'm pretty confident with most of the sylabus but top tips from those who've been through the process always help.

Cheers.

In reply to DaveHK: Don't rush your decisions, don't forget about your 'group' and be confident (but not so much you seem cocky), finally, don't worry about making a mistake, it's how you handle/correct it that matters.

In reply to DaveHK: Hi Dave heads up...I just sent you a PM on your UKC email...I think you have been hacked....I got this reply from you.

>>Hey
How are you doing recently?
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Thanks & Regards<<

Either that or you are dick...which I don't think you are

In reply to DaveHK: First and foremost, relax and enjoy it. Believe that everything they get you to do is an opportunity to show it is well within your capability, not that they are looking to fail you.

Second, know where you are, exactly where you are, at all times, even if it is not your leg.

Third, be slick and safe on security on steep ground.

Fourth, do not neglect the group.

Fifth, when you make a mistake or get lost, both of which will happen, don't panic, just treat it as another opportunity to show your skills.

In reply to DaveHK:

Navigation, ropework, route choice, group management, personal admin, navigation, ropework, navigation, ropework, navigation.

Don't worry if you make a mistake, just make it right, like someone said.

Oh, and did I mention ropework and navigation?

In reply to DaveHK:

As other have said: Don't worry, and take your time.

I'm doing my assessment in 4 weeks, If I take my time pacing and staying on bearing, silent and concentrating will it be frowned upon, or do i need to chat about flora and fauna whilst pace counting and following a bearing?

Ropework. I believe the syllabus has changed in the last year? Do we still have to demonstrate lowering clients down steep drops using body belays etc or is just confidence roping now?

In reply to DaveHK: The die is cast anyway. If you are at the standard, they will see that, and you will pass. If you are not at the standard, they will see that, and you will fail or defer.

In reply to steve maher: It's impossible to keep pace and talk so, no, you won't be expected to talk while trying to find your point. there will be plenty of opportunity to talk about what you know about lichens etc during the week. If you need to concentrate, just make it known that's what you need to do for the next 10 mins til you get to where you are going.

In reply to steve maher:

I did my assessment 3 weeks ago.

The Interim Handbook can be downloaded from the MTA website, http://www.mountain-training.org/award-schemes/mountain-leader-

Basically the River Crossing and Ropework sections have changed. You won't be expected to use a rope for river crossings but you will still be expected to lower (or possibly bring someone up) someone down a scrambly section that they may be unhappy downclimbing. However this shouldn't be over a cliff where all of the persons weight is being held by you. So yes, body belaying will still be needed and you'll also have to demonstrate you can use an appropriate descent technique (classic or south african abseil or angel wings) to get you down the same terrain.

Based on my assessment when we needed to pace it was either dark (everyone is quiet and counting paces/timing during the night nav) or the person leading that leg made it clear they didn't want to be disturbed and that gives the ones following a clue to count paces too.

Some other hints/tips that may be helpful:

Get out and practice night nav beforehand, ideally following someone else so you have to work out where they have taken you.

Take a spare compass and make sure it's not buried at the bottom of your sack

Make sure you always know where you are even if you're not leading. A number of times we were chatting to each other and the assessor asked us to separate up and re-locate.

If you have a waterproof pen it might be worth marking off where you are on the map as you pass obvious features.

It's really hard following other people, some folks will walk religiously on bearings, others will handrail features, some will appear to go in circles or will indeed go in circles but you still have to follow them and be able to say where they've gone. Even if the current leader doesn't find the place the assessor has asked for you'll still need to be able to say where you've ended up.

For the night nav I really wish I'd had a pen to write down the bearings/distances folks had walked on as one person went a bit wonky and it was really confusing trying to work out where they'd gone after 5 changes of direction.

Good luck.

In reply to DaveHK:
Read the Syllabus and Guidance notes.

Just remember, it's training and assessment - they are not expecting you to be Renaulph Fiennes + Ray Mears combo..

And nav. Hit your nav skills hard!

In reply to DaveHK:

Cheers folks, been pacing purposefully around the Gorms for the last few days.

Did experience a moment of joy when my estimated 18 mins and 930 paces back to the goat track came in at 17:35 and 926.

To paraphrase Yoda 'Action, excitement, a ML craves not these things'

In reply to DaveHK: You count that high when pacing? I sometimes lose count before 100m (70 paces)!

In reply to higherclimbingwales:

It was a bit of an experiment.

If I can say this without sounding cheeky...do you have really short legs? I'm no giant and I seem to be doing 62 on the flat.

In reply to DaveHK:

Ha ha, I don't think they are particularly short.