The Complete 2026 Course · Lifetime Access
From anxious walker to confident navigator.
The complete step-by-step navigation system that gives you the skills to ditch the phone signal, leave the crowded paths, and explore the hills safely.
🛡️ 30-day money-back guarantee. No questions asked.
“I used to rely completely on my phone and GPS apps. Now I can confidently navigate using just a map and compass.” — Ben S., in-person course
10,000+
People taught in person
15+
Years of coaching experience
30-day
Money-back guarantee
Does this sound like you?
That low-level anxiety is keeping you on the tourist trails.
🔋
The 10% battery panic
You rely entirely on your phone, and your stomach drops every time the battery does.
🚶
Following, not leading
Your partner does the navigating. If they twisted an ankle, could you get you both home?
🌫️
That sinking fog feeling
The cloud comes down, the path fades, and suddenly you are not quite sure where you are.
This course is for you if…
- You enjoy hill walking but get anxious when the clear path runs out.
- You want to read OS Maps properly so you can plan your own adventures.
- You rely on GPS apps like Komoot or AllTrails but want the safety net of analogue skills.
- You want to learn at your own pace, without the pressure of a group course.
It’s probably not for you if…
- You want a formal qualification like NNAS or Mountain Leader. This builds personal competence, not certificates.
- You’re already a confident navigator looking for expedition-level training only.
- You won’t get outside to practise. The videos teach the theory, but the hills make it stick.
What’s inside
Six modules. One complete system.
From “anxious walker” to confident navigator, step by step. Learn the theory at your kitchen table so the skills are hardwired before you step onto a damp hillside.
Module 01 The Setup & Mindset
- The “Confident Navigator” mindset. Overcome the fear of getting lost before you leave the car.
- Gear deep dive. Exactly which maps, compasses and digital tools to buy, and what to avoid.
- The hiker’s toolkit. How to pack your rucksack for a safe UK mountain day.
Module 02 Foundations: Mastering Your Tools
- Terrain visualisation. Read contour lines so you can see the 3D shape of the hills from your sofa.
- Grid references. Pinpoint your exact location to within 100 metres.
- Practical exercises. Cement your learning wherever you live.
Module 03 In The Field: Real World Tactics
- Handrailing. Use walls, streams and edges to guide you effortlessly.
- Attack points & visual checkpoints. Break a long, scary leg into short, manageable chunks.
- Timing. Predict exactly how long the next section will take.
Module 04 Compass Mastery
- Taking a bearing. The step-by-step system to find your direction from the map.
- Walking on a bearing. How to trust your needle over your brain.
- Magnetic declination & back bearings. The simple checks that keep you on track.
Module 05 Planning & Safety
- Relocation strategies. The exact protocol for “what to do if you are lost”.
- Weather wisdom. Decode pro mountain forecasts (MWIS) to avoid dangerous conditions.
- Digital tools. Use apps as a backup, not a crutch.
Module 06 Advanced Techniques: The Pro Level
- Pacing & micro-navigation. Count your steps to measure distance with precision.
- Slope aspect. Use the direction of the slope to locate yourself.
- Low visibility navigation. Specific techniques for night navigation and dense fog.
✅ Is this course right for you?
You enjoy hill walking but get anxious when the clear path runs out. You want proper OS Map skills, with GPS apps as a safety net rather than a lifeline.
🎬 Watch it, or read it
Every lesson comes as a video and as a full written guide. Some things click better on screen, some on the page — take whichever way works for you, or both. Quizzes at the end of each module check it’s actually stuck.
🧑🏫 Ask me anything
Stuck on a lesson, or planning a route and unsure? Email me and I’ll answer personally. A real instructor, not a help desk.
Try it yourself
This is how we teach. Have a go.
Contour lines confuse every beginner, until they don’t. The full course is packed with interactive lessons like this.
See the 3D hill hiding in the flat map
Every brown line on an OS map joins points of equal height. Imagine flooding the valley: each line is a shoreline. Drag the slider and watch the water rise.
Then look at the spacing. Lines bunched tight mean steep ground. Lines spread wide mean a gentle slope. On this hill the right-hand side is the one that would stop you.
A taster. The full contour trainer — real OS map extracts, terrain matching and self-testing — is inside Module 2 of the course.
- Mountain Leader (Summer)
Mountain Training UK · 2011 - Rock Climbing Instructor
Mountain Training UK · 2011 - DofE Expedition Assessor
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award · 2011 - Outdoor First Aid
Current to December 2027
Meet your instructor
Hi, I’m Matt. And I’ve been lost a lot.
From my early days in the Scouts to over 15 years as a professional guide, I’ve navigated through every weather condition the mountains can throw at you. Especially in the early days, I used to get intentionally “lost” just to sharpen my skills.
“Real confidence doesn’t come from never getting lost. It comes from knowing exactly how to get yourself back on track.”
That is what I want for you: the mental and physical benefits of the outdoors, knowing you have the skills to handle whatever the mountain throws at you.
Everything in this course is what I teach in person, in the same order, in the same plain English. The only difference is you can pause me and watch it again.
What learning this actually costs
Compare it honestly, then decide.
Learning navigation in person is a genuinely good way to do it — I teach that way myself. It’s also two fixed days in your diary and a lot more than the course fee once you add everything up.
A two-day course in person
- Course fee £95 – £200
- Two nights’ accommodation typically £120 – £200
- Fuel or train typically £40 – £80
- Two fixed days in your diary —
Realistically £300+, once. And if the weather turns on the weekend you booked, that’s the weekend you got.
The Mountain Navigation Course
- Everything, one payment £97
- Lifetime access included
- Every future module included
- Emergency Protocol Course included
Pay once, not every year. Revisit any lesson the night before a walk, for as long as you’re walking.
In-person course fees are typical UK market rates for a two-day navigation course; accommodation and travel are estimates. The point isn’t that one is better — it’s that they cost very different amounts, and this one you keep.
Everything you get
One payment. A lifetime of confident adventures.
No monthly subscriptions. Just a one-off investment in a skill that keeps you safe for a lifetime.
💻 The Online Mountain Navigation Course
47 lessons across six modules: map reading, compass skills, route planning and low-visibility navigation. Every lesson as video and as a written guide, with lifetime access.
🚑 Bonus 1: The Emergency Protocol Course Sells on its own for £27
The STOP protocol, METHANE script and exact steps for when things go wrong, from sudden weather to getting lost on the moors.
📱 Bonus 2: The Digital Safety Net Course The free course, included
13 lessons that turn your phone into a reliable safety tool: offline maps, the battery trick, 999 SMS and finding your grid reference.
✉️ Bonus 3: Ask me anything, by email Included
Stuck on a lesson, or planning a route and not sure? Email me and I’ll answer personally. You get a qualified instructor on the other end, not a help desk — and if your question isn’t covered in the course, it usually ends up in the next update.
📚 Bonus 4: Resource Vault + updates for life Included
Crib cards, route cards and planning checklists ready to print — plus every new module and updated tutorial added to your dashboard at no extra cost, including the three on the roadmap below.
The Emergency Protocol Course sells on its own for £27. Here it’s included, along with the free Digital Safety Net course and everything I add later.
Every enrolment supports Mountain Rescue. £10 from your purchase goes to mountain rescue services across the UK, donated quarterly.
£97
One-off payment · Lifetime access · Every future module included
- All 6 modules, 47 lessons
- Emergency Protocol + Digital Safety Net included
- Every lesson as video and as a written guide
- Quizzes to check it’s actually stuck
- Ask me anything by email — a real instructor
- Works on phone, tablet and computer
- All future modules included free
🛡️ 30-day no-questions-asked money-back guarantee
Roadmap
Five more modules coming, included free.
All five are already planned. Join today and they land in your dashboard as they ship, at no extra cost.
Coming 2026
Reading Weather
Read a mountain forecast properly, and know how to react when the weather turns on you halfway round.
Coming 2026
Route Planning
Design safe multi-day itineraries: realistic pacing for your group, British weather windows, and backup routes that actually work.
Coming 2026
Expedition Skills
Multi-day adventures end to end — camp craft, sleep systems, food, logistics and packing for overnights in the Lakes, Snowdonia or Scotland.
Coming 2026
Traversing Tricky Terrain
Move well on loose scree, wet boulder fields, slick mud and late snow. Read the micro-terrain and stay balanced and unhurt.
Coming 2026
Keeping Dogs Safe
Teach your dog to behave in the mountains so they stay safe and have as good a day as you do.
What students say
From anxious to out the door.
These are from my in-person navigation courses and guided days. The online course teaches the same system, in the same order — reviews from it will appear here as students finish it.
★★★★★
“I’ve always stuck to well-marked footpaths because the idea of getting lost made me too anxious. This training completely cured that. I’m now confident planning my own routes across open access land without second-guessing myself.”
— Nicola T.
★★★★★
“I used to rely completely on my phone and GPS apps. Now I can confidently navigate using just a map and compass. The teaching style is relaxed but thorough, and you can instantly tell they have years of experience.”
— Ben S.
★★★★★
“Learning how to properly read contours, use pacing and micro-navigate was an absolute game changer. When the clag came down on the second afternoon, I actually felt confident rather than panicked.”
— Chris F.
Not ready to commit?
Start with the free Digital Safety Net course
13 short lessons that turn your phone into a reliable safety tool. Free, instant access, and you’ll see exactly how I teach before spending a penny. You also get the full Navigation Resources Pack.
- The airplane mode battery secret
- Offline maps that work anywhere
- 999 SMS registration
- The touchscreen rain fix
- Finding your grid reference
- Medical ID & backup apps
🎒 Get free instant access
Instant access. No spam, ever. Unsubscribe any time.
🧭 Not sure which course fits your level? Take the 2-minute Nav Skills Quiz
Questions?
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to buy a map or compass before starting?
No, don’t buy anything yet. In Module 1, I explain exactly which baseplate compass and OS Maps (1:25k vs 1:50k) are best for beginners so you don’t waste money on the wrong kit.
I’m not tech-savvy. Is the course hard to access?
Not at all. If you can use YouTube, you can use this course. It works on your laptop, tablet or phone.
Can I really learn practical navigation online?
Yes, and there are real advantages. At home you can pause, rewind and rewatch until it clicks. Then outdoors you’re simply practising what you already understand, rather than learning from scratch in the rain.
Is this better than an in-person course?
It’s different. In-person courses are great but expensive and intense. Here you learn the theory at your own pace, pause the videos, and rewatch the tricky bits like magnetic variation as many times as you need. You can even combine it with in-person lessons to maximise your time with the instructor.
My partner usually does the navigation. Is this for me?
This course is especially for you. Relying on one person is a safety risk. This gives you the skills to share the responsibility (and the fun) of leading the route.
Do I get a formal qualification?
No. This course is designed for personal competence, not certificates. It covers the same ground as the introductory national navigation awards, so it’s good preparation if you later decide to go for one , but without the pressure of an assessment day.
Do I need to be super fit?
Not at all. Navigation is a mental skill, not a physical one. Good navigators often walk less because they don’t make mistakes.
What if I get stuck or have a question?
Ask me. If something in a lesson doesn’t land, or you’ve got a question about a route you’re planning, email me and I’ll answer it personally. You’re not buying a video library and being left to it , you get a qualified instructor on the other end.
What if it’s not for me?
Then it’s free. There’s a 30-day money-back guarantee. Work through it, and if it hasn’t made you more confident on the hill, email me and I’ll refund you. No questions, no form to fill in.
[NOTE: if you prefer FAQ schema markup for Google, replace this Details list with a fresh Spectra FAQ block using the same questions — and remember the old page’s FAQ block carried leftover demo schema, so don’t copy it across.]
Prefer to learn on the hill?
Thinking about learning this in person?
I run navigation days in the UK hills alongside the online courses. Tell me roughly where you are and what you’d want to cover, and I’ll let you know when dates open. No obligation, and I won’t add you to anything else.
Ready to get started?
The hills are waiting for you.
Learn the skills to keep yourself and the people around you safe, so you can stop worrying and start enjoying the hills.
🛡️ Protected by the 30-day money-back guarantee