Learn to Lead Trad

The two day Learn to Lead Trad course will provide you with the skills you need to participate in traditionally (trad) protected climbing, including an introduction to leading simple trad climbs. This course is also ideal if you are looking to improve your confidence, refresh your personal trad leading skills with the aim of helping you to become an independent climber and for candidates planning to complete the Rock Climbing Instructor Scheme.

We never want cost to be a barrier to participation so there are a range of bursaries available. We are familiar with working with a variety of needs and ensuring that our courses are participant centred.

The course will cover the following topics:

- Background and planning: choosing a suitable venue and route, how to use guidebooks, crag etiquette, the importance of the climbing partnership and the work of the mountaineering councils.

- Climbing skills: safe and assured movement when leading climbs and optimising natural rests for placing gear..

- Equipment: ropes and technical equipment for lead climbing, contents of a lead rack and how to carry it, selection and function of gear.

- Technical skills: selection and placement of suitable gear to protect leader and second, choosing anchors, effective ropework, attaching to multiple anchors, belaying, holding leader and second falls in a controlled environment.

- Environmental knowledge: the impact of climbers at the crag, ethics, access and environmental considerations.

- Hazards and emergency procedures: identifying hazards, decision making and managing risk when climbing, understanding common injuries, what to do in the event of an incident, managing common problems, how to get help and learning how Mountain Rescue works.

This course runs in the Peak District. Please see our Events page here https://www.climblbg.org.uk/events for course listings.

Please email us if you would like to arrange or book on a course.