UKC

Hello,

Looking at registering for Winter ML, but am a bit confused as to what a "mountain area," is. George Mc says that at least 75% of QMDs should be in UK and 50% in Scotland, but you should have experience in 3 "mountain areas," in the UK. All my winter days have been in Scotland so is that one "mountain area," or can it be broken down to Glencoe, Ben Nevis, Aonach Mor, Creag Meagaidh, Cairn Gorm, An Teallach, Torridon, etc... or does it mean I need to be playing the conditions game in the Lakes and Wales at some point?

In reply to jonnie3430:

It's important to note it says in the the guidance at least 50% in Scotland, thus the experience could be all in Scotland. No need to go to Wales or the Lakes!!
http://www.mountain-training.org/award-schemes/winter-mountain-leader

Log in to the CMS and click the DLOG tab and you will see the regions/mountain areas are e.g. West Highland, NW Highlands etc

In reply to Kimberley:

I think I need to register for the Winter ML before I can access that. Cheers.

In reply to jonnie3430:

if you've already got your candidate number (from your summer ML logbook or SPA Logbook), you can log in to the CMS. You might have to register with the website but once logged in you should be able to access the CMS. I think you have to do this to register for pre-approval to the WML anyway.

In reply to higherclimbingwales:

I can login but don't think I can access the DLOG (or at least I can't find the tab,) until I register for the WML.

In reply to jonnie3430:

you should be able to access the DLOG as it's for CPD as well as a logbook. I've not registered for the WML but I've got access to the DLOG. If you are on facebook, you can join the MTA group and ask on there any question about the scheme and chances are that Bryn Williams or Alan Halewood will answer your enquiry.

In reply to jonnie3430:

Having done Winter ML, I don't think they're too bothered about precisely what you count as a mountain area, provided you have experience across a good range - 3 being the absolute bare minimum. I logged mine under the likes of 'Cairngorms', 'Lochaber', 'Torridon' etc, and that was fine.

They aren't going to pull you up if you've walked all over Scotland just because you've logged Glencoe and the Mamores as separate areas. It's just about demonstrating experience in different areas.

In reply to Kimberley:



I've never understood the 50% in Scotland thing.

The vast majority of my best winter days have been South of the border.

In reply to timjones:

That's because they're less interested in your best winter days than your worst

In reply to Andy Moles:


Neither you nor they know how I define my best winter days

But if it helps the vast majority of both my best and my worst winter days have been south of the border. All this requirement does is ensures that many candidates are likely to gain as much experience of motorway driving as they are of winter walking. It's a lazy way of judging peoples experience IMO.

In reply to timjones:

Have the vast majority of your winter days been south of the border?

In reply to timjones:
More seriously, I think it's because in a UK-wide award, it would seem odd to be passed if you were lacking experience of the areas where the vast majority of 'winter' happens. I think they also say something about the relative remoteness and seriousness of Scottish mountains, though obviously you don't necessarily have to go remote in Scotland.

I kind of agree with you, that there's no reason you can't have experienced a pretty full range of UK winter conditions in Wales or the Lakes. But if you haven't done much in Scotland, how do you know that?

In reply to The New NickB:


Over the last 5 or so years all of my winter days have been south of the border but overall I'd say that looking at winter days within the UK it's about 50:50.

Given that the logbook system is based entirely on trust it seems a bit bizarre to rely on an arbitrary line on the map when judging the "quality" of a candidates experience.

In reply to Andy Moles:


I know it because I used to do quite a bit in Scotland. I've wasted entire weekends chasing crap winter days in Scotland and experienced great winter days within a few hours drive of home!

For that reason I sincerely believe that the insistance on 50% of the days being in Scotland is a dangerously misleading anomaly.

In reply to timjones:

Maybe George Mc will spot this thread and give you a response.

Also, don't forget they are not saying that 50% of all your winter days must be in Scotland - only 50% of those which you submit as Quality Mountain Days for registration. If you've done 50 days in Scotland and 500 elsewhere, I doubt they're going to object!