Courses and events calendar

We offer a wide range of great value mountain skills courses and climbing coaching workshops, held in locations across Scotland. We also organise talks, lectures and other events during the year to help you grow your knowledge and meet other hill walkers, climbers and mountaineers. Check out the full schedule below and click for more information, booking details and prices.

Please note: We indicate whether courses are fully booked below, but please be aware this is not an automatic update, so the situation may change overnight. 

Waiting lists

We operate a waiting list for most events to fill spaces that become available in case of cancellations. Please add your details to the waiting list for any courses and dates that are fully booked that you are interested in and we will be in touch with everyone on the list if any places become available.

July 2025

05 July: Introduction to Rock Climbing 

This one-day course is a first step into outdoor rock climbing. Experience climbing with the safety of a bottom-rope, learning some new skills that can start you on your outdoor climbing journey.

What you'll learn

  • Fitting harness and helmet
  • Tying into the rope
  • Belaying from below and lowering
  • Abseiling
  • Crag etiquette and use of guidebooks
  • Movement coaching on real rock

Meeting Place: Kingussie

Bookings open

Read more or book now

05 & 06 July: Learn to Trad Climb - Seconding & Leading

This two-day course is designed as the next step on your journey to becoming a safe and independent Trad Climber. Looking at the skills to be a competent second and looking at what’s involved in lead climbing.

What you'll learn

  • Movement technique on real rock
  • Competent seconding skills
  • Belaying a trad lead
  • Placing and removing traditional gear
  • Setting up belays
  • Setting up retrievable abseils
  • Decision making – understanding risk evaluation and management.

Meeting Place: Glen Nevis

Bookings open

Read more or book now

Fri 11 July: One Day Navigation Course 

A one-day Mountaineering Scotland navigation course will give you a firm grounding in practical mountain navigation skills, no matter which fitness level course you choose. Instructor ratios are 1:6 and there are spaces for 12 people per course. The courses aim to introduce or refresh essential navigation skills.

What you'll learn

  • Increase your confidence in finding your way on the hill
  • Learn the skills of map reading and compass bearings
  • Learn how to follow a bearing accurately
  • Pick up handy hints and techniques to locate yourself on the hill in poor visibility

Area: Moffat

Meeting Place: Moffat Mountain Rescue Base, Selkirk Road, DG10 9JU

Bookings open

Read more or book now

Sat 12 July: One Day Navigation Course 

A one-day Mountaineering Scotland navigation course will give you a firm grounding in practical mountain navigation skills, no matter which fitness level course you choose. Instructor ratios are 1:6 and there are spaces for 12 people per course. The courses aim to introduce or refresh essential navigation skills.

What you'll learn

  • Increase your confidence in finding your way on the hill
  • Learn the skills of map reading and compass bearings
  • Learn how to follow a bearing accurately
  • Pick up handy hints and techniques to locate yourself on the hill in poor visibility

Area: Moffat

Meeting Place: Moffat Mountain Rescue Base, Selkirk Road, DG10 9JU

Bookings open

Read more or book now

12 & 13 July: Learn to Trad Climb - Seconding & Leading

This two-day course is designed as the next step on your journey to becoming a safe and independent Trad Climber. Looking at the skills to be a competent second and looking at what’s involved in lead climbing.

What you'll learn

  • Movement technique on real rock
  • Competent seconding skills
  • Belaying a trad lead
  • Placing and removing traditional gear
  • Setting up belays
  • Setting up retrievable abseils
  • Decision making – understanding risk evaluation and management.

Meeting Place: Rosyth Quarry 

Fully booked - join the waiting list

Read more or book now

18 July: Learn to Sport Climb

This one-day course is designed to take your indoor climbing skills and applying them to outdoor Sport Climbing. Learn the art of Sport Climbing and pick up some skills to help you become an independent sport climber.

What you'll learn

  • Lead belaying
  • Lead sports climbing skills
  • Threading lower offs
  • Movement coaching
  • Decision making – understanding risk evaluation and management.

Meeting Place: Comic Crag, Kingussie

Bookings open

Read more or book now

19 July: Trad Climbing Improvers

Now you can trad climb, let’s make you a pro. Through perfecting ropework skills and gear placements, to making the best decisions and problems solving, it’s time to perfect your Trad Climbing on this one-day course.

What you'll learn

  • Advanced movement technique
  • Lead climbing skills
  • Perfecting traditional gear placements
  • Setting up complex belays
  • Decision making – understanding risk evaluation and management.
  • Solving common problems

Meeting Place: Creag Na-heigh

Bookings open

Read more or book now

Sat 26 July: One Day Navigation Course 

A one-day Mountaineering Scotland navigation course will give you a firm grounding in practical mountain navigation skills, no matter which fitness level course you choose. Instructor ratios are 1:6 and there are spaces for 12 people per course. The courses aim to introduce or refresh essential navigation skills.

What you'll learn

  • Increase your confidence in finding your way on the hill
  • Learn the skills of map reading and compass bearings
  • Learn how to follow a bearing accurately
  • Pick up handy hints and techniques to locate yourself on the hill in poor visibility

Area: Kingussie

Meeting Place: TBC

Bookings open

Read more or book now

Sun 27 July: One Day Navigation Course 

A one-day Mountaineering Scotland navigation course will give you a firm grounding in practical mountain navigation skills, no matter which fitness level course you choose. Instructor ratios are 1:6 and there are spaces for 12 people per course. The courses aim to introduce or refresh essential navigation skills.

What you'll learn

  • Increase your confidence in finding your way on the hill
  • Learn the skills of map reading and compass bearings
  • Learn how to follow a bearing accurately
  • Pick up handy hints and techniques to locate yourself on the hill in poor visibility

Area: Kingussie

Meeting Place: TBC

Bookings open

Read more or book now

27 July: Sport Climbing Improvers

Now you’re a sport climber let’s make you a pro. Learn some advanced technical and movement skills to make your Sport Climbing as safe and efficient as possible on this one-day course.

Instructor to climber ratio 1:4.

The course will cover:

  • Advanced Sport Climbing skills
  • Advanced belaying skills
  • Projecting skills
  • Advanced movement coaching
  • Decision making – understanding risk evaluation and management.

Meeting Place: Balgone Heughs

Bookings open

Read more or book now

28 & 31 July: Women's Progression Rock Climbing (two evenings)

These two evening courses are designed to progress your outdoor climbing and teach you about how to effectively move on rock, protect yourself and take that first step to becoming an independent outdoor climber.

What you'll learn

  • Recap of the basics (see Introduction to Rock Climbing)
  • Placing and removing gear
  • Building and equalising belays
  • Abseiling with a prussik
  • Belaying from the top of a route
  • Movement skills coaching

Meeting Place: Limekilns

Bookings open

Read more or book now

August 2025

1 August: Learn to Sport Climb

This one-day course is designed to take your indoor climbing skills and applying them to outdoor Sport Climbing. Learn the art of Sport Climbing and pick up some skills to help you become an independent sport climber.

What you'll learn

  • Lead belaying
  • Lead sports climbing skills
  • Threading lower offs
  • Movement coaching
  • Decision making – understanding risk evaluation and management.

Meeting Place: Benny Beg

Bookings open

Read more or book now

Fri 1 August: One Day Navigation Course 

A one-day Mountaineering Scotland navigation course will give you a firm grounding in practical mountain navigation skills, no matter which fitness level course you choose. Instructor ratios are 1:6 and there are spaces for 12 people per course. The courses aim to introduce or refresh essential navigation skills.

What you'll learn

  • Increase your confidence in finding your way on the hill
  • Learn the skills of map reading and compass bearings
  • Learn how to follow a bearing accurately
  • Pick up handy hints and techniques to locate yourself on the hill in poor visibility

Area: Braemar 

Meeting Place: Braemar Mountain Rescue Team Base, Corrie Feragie, Braemar, AB35 5YL

Bookings open

Read more or book now

Sat 2 August: One Day Navigation Course 

A one-day Mountaineering Scotland navigation course will give you a firm grounding in practical mountain navigation skills, no matter which fitness level course you choose. Instructor ratios are 1:6 and there are spaces for 12 people per course. The courses aim to introduce or refresh essential navigation skills.

What you'll learn

  • Increase your confidence in finding your way on the hill
  • Learn the skills of map reading and compass bearings
  • Learn how to follow a bearing accurately
  • Pick up handy hints and techniques to locate yourself on the hill in poor visibility

Area: Braemar 

Meeting Place: Braemar Mountain Rescue Team Base, Corrie Feragie, Braemar, AB35 5YL

Bookings open

Read more or book now

04 August: Progression Rock Climbing

This one-day course is designed to progress your outdoor climbing and teach you about how to effectively move on rock, protect yourself and take that first step to becoming an independent outdoor climber.

What you'll learn

  • Recap of the basics (see Introduction to Rock Climbing)
  • Placing and removing gear
  • Building and equalising belays
  • Abseiling with a prussik
  • Belaying from the top of a route
  • Movement skills coaching

Meeting Place: Kingussie

Bookings open

Read more or book now

09 August: Women's Introduction to Rock Climbing 

This one-day women's course is a first step into outdoor rock climbing. Experience outdoor rock climbing with the safety of a Bottom-Rope, learning some new skills that can start you on your outdoor climbing journey.

What you'll learn

  • Fitting harness and helmet
  • Tying into the rope
  • Belaying from below and lowering
  • Abseiling
  • Crag etiquette and use of guidebooks
  • Movement coaching on real rock

Meeting Place: Blackford Quarry

Bookings open

Read more or book now

Sat 9 August: One Day Navigation Course 

A one-day Mountaineering Scotland navigation course will give you a firm grounding in practical mountain navigation skills, no matter which fitness level course you choose. Instructor ratios are 1:6 and there are spaces for 12 people per course. The courses aim to introduce or refresh essential navigation skills.

What you'll learn

  • Increase your confidence in finding your way on the hill
  • Learn the skills of map reading and compass bearings
  • Learn how to follow a bearing accurately
  • Pick up handy hints and techniques to locate yourself on the hill in poor visibility

Area: Ochils

Meeting Place: Ochils Mountain Rescue Team base, Bankhead Farm, Fishcross, FK10 3AN

Bookings open

Read more or book now

Sun 10 August: One Day Navigation Course 

A one-day Mountaineering Scotland navigation course will give you a firm grounding in practical mountain navigation skills, no matter which fitness level course you choose. Instructor ratios are 1:6 and there are spaces for 12 people per course. The courses aim to introduce or refresh essential navigation skills.

What you'll learn

  • Increase your confidence in finding your way on the hill
  • Learn the skills of map reading and compass bearings
  • Learn how to follow a bearing accurately
  • Pick up handy hints and techniques to locate yourself on the hill in poor visibility

Area: Ochils

Meeting Place: Ochils Mountain Rescue Team base, Bankhead Farm, Fishcross, FK10 3AN

Bookings open

Read more or book now

16 & 17 August: Learn to Trad Climb - Seconding & Leading

This two-day course is designed as the next step on your journey to becoming a safe and independent Trad Climber. Looking at the skills to be a competent second and looking at what’s involved in lead climbing.

What you'll learn

  • Movement technique on real rock
  • Competent seconding skills
  • Belaying a trad lead
  • Placing and removing traditional gear
  • Setting up belays
  • Setting up retrievable abseils
  • Decision making – understanding risk evaluation and management.

Meeting Place: Creag Na-heigh

Fully booked - join the waiting list

Read more or book now

17 August: Progression Rock Climbing

This one-day course is designed to progress your outdoor climbing and teach you about how to effectively move on rock, protect yourself and take that first step to becoming an independent outdoor climber.

What you'll learn

  • Recap of the basics (see Introduction to Rock Climbing)
  • Placing and removing gear
  • Building and equalising belays
  • Abseiling with a prussik
  • Belaying from the top of a route
  • Movement skills coaching

Meeting Place: Kingussie

Fully booked - join the waiting list

Read more or book now

23 August: Women's Progression Rock Climbing

This one-day course is designed to progress your outdoor climbing and teach you about how to effectively move on rock, protect yourself and take that first step to becoming an independent outdoor climber.

What you'll learn

  • Recap of the basics (see Introduction to Rock Climbing)
  • Placing and removing gear
  • Building and equalising belays
  • Abseiling with a prussik
  • Belaying from the top of a route
  • Movement skills coaching

Meeting Place: Kingussie

Bookings open

Read more or book now

23 & 24 August: Learn to Trad Climb - Seconding & Leading

This two-day course is designed as the next step on your journey to becoming a safe and independent Trad Climber. Looking at the skills to be a competent second and looking at what’s involved in lead climbing.

What you'll learn

  • Movement technique on real rock
  • Competent seconding skills
  • Belaying a trad lead
  • Placing and removing traditional gear
  • Setting up belays
  • Setting up retrievable abseils
  • Decision making – understanding risk evaluation and management.

Meeting Place: Glen Nevis 

Fully booked - join the waiting list

Read more or book now

23 & 24 August: Women's Learn to Trad Climb - Seconding & Leading

This two-day course is designed as the next step on your journey to becoming a safe and independent Trad Climber. Looking at the skills to be a competent second and looking at what’s involved in lead climbing.

What you'll learn

  • Movement technique on real rock
  • Competent seconding skills
  • Belaying a trad lead
  • Placing and removing traditional gear
  • Setting up belays
  • Setting up retrievable abseils
  • Decision making – understanding risk evaluation and management.

Meeting Place: Rosyth Quarry 

Fully booked - join the waiting list

Read more or book now

25 August: Trad Climbing Improvers

Now you can trad climb, let’s make you a pro. Through perfecting ropework skills and gear placements, to making the best decisions and problems solving, it’s time to perfect your Trad Climbing on this one-day course.

What you'll learn

  • Advanced movement technique
  • Lead climbing skills
  • Perfecting traditional gear placements
  • Setting up complex belays
  • Decision making – understanding risk evaluation and management.
  • Solving common problems

Meeting Place: Glen Nevis

Bookings open

Read more or book now

30 & 31 August: Mountain Skills Weekend 

Being proficient in the Scottish Mountains in summer conditions is of course much more than just the ability to navigate well - although navigation is one of the  crucial elements of safe travel in the mountains.  These weekend courses go a step further than the basic navigation skills to introduce valuable skills to members who regularly visit the summer mountains and who wish to develop their abilities to become safer and more proficient.

What you'll learn

This weekend course comprises two days of instruction. It will include all of the following aspects to ensure safe and enjoyable days on the hill:

  • Pre-planning with reference to maps, guide books, websites & weather forecasts.
  • What to pack in your rucksack
  • Navigation
  • Route choice
  • How to cope with more difficult terrain such as scree, rocky steps, boulder fields and steep ground.
  • Emergency procedures

Area: Glencoe

Meeting Place: Lagangarbh Hut, Glen Coe, Lochaber, PH49 4HX

Bookings open

Read more or book now

September 2025

05 September: Progression Rock Climbing

This one-day course is designed to progress your outdoor climbing and teach you about how to effectively move on rock, protect yourself and take that first step to becoming an independent outdoor climber.

What you'll learn

  • Recap of the basics (see Introduction to Rock Climbing)
  • Placing and removing gear
  • Building and equalising belays
  • Abseiling with a prussik
  • Belaying from the top of a route
  • Movement skills coaching

Meeting Place: Creag Na-heigh

Bookings open

Read more or book now

21 September: Women's Learn to Sport Climb

This one-day course is designed to take your indoor climbing skills and applying them to outdoor Sport Climbing. Learn the art of Sport Climbing and pick up some skills to help you become an independent sport climber.

What you'll learn

  • Advanced Sport Climbing skills
  • Advanced belaying skills
  • Projecting skills
  • Advanced movement coaching
  • Decision making – understanding risk evaluation and management.

Meeting Place: Benny Beg

Bookings open

Read more or book now

October 2025

4 - 6 & 18 - 20 October: Summer Mountain Leader Training

Mountaineering Scotland, in partnership with Richard Bentley from Mountain Motion, is offering club and individual members the opportunity to participate in a Summer Mountain Leader Training Course, at a special discounted rate. Price includes accommodation at Mill Cottage. 

Please note that participants must attend both 3 day modules.

What you'll learn

  • Group management
  • Navigation
  • Access and the environment
  • Hazards (including steep ground and rivers) and emergency procedures
  • Equipment
  • Expedition skills
  • Mountain weather

Area: Cairngorms

Fully booked - join the waiting list

Read more or book now

Fri 17 October: One Day Navigation Course 

A one-day Mountaineering Scotland navigation course will give you a firm grounding in practical mountain navigation skills, no matter which fitness level course you choose. Instructor ratios are 1:6 and there are spaces for 12 people per course. The courses aim to introduce or refresh essential navigation skills.

What you'll learn

  • Increase your confidence in finding your way on the hill
  • Learn the skills of map reading and compass bearings
  • Learn how to follow a bearing accurately
  • Pick up handy hints and techniques to locate yourself on the hill in poor visibility

Area: Arrochar 

Meeting Place: Arrochar Mountain Rescue Team Base, Arrochar, G83 7AZ

Bookings open

Read more or book now

Sat 18 October: One Day Navigation Course 

A one-day Mountaineering Scotland navigation course will give you a firm grounding in practical mountain navigation skills, no matter which fitness level course you choose. Instructor ratios are 1:6 and there are spaces for 12 people per course. The courses aim to introduce or refresh essential navigation skills.

What you'll learn

  • Increase your confidence in finding your way on the hill
  • Learn the skills of map reading and compass bearings
  • Learn how to follow a bearing accurately
  • Pick up handy hints and techniques to locate yourself on the hill in poor visibility

Area: Arrochar 

Meeting Place: Arrochar Mountain Rescue Team Base, Arrochar, G83 7AZ

Bookings open

Read more or book now

Sun 19 October: One Day Navigation Course 

A one-day Mountaineering Scotland navigation course will give you a firm grounding in practical mountain navigation skills, no matter which fitness level course you choose. Instructor ratios are 1:6 and there are spaces for 12 people per course. The courses aim to introduce or refresh essential navigation skills.

What you'll learn

  • Increase your confidence in finding your way on the hill
  • Learn the skills of map reading and compass bearings
  • Learn how to follow a bearing accurately
  • Pick up handy hints and techniques to locate yourself on the hill in poor visibility

Area: Arrochar 

Meeting Place: Arrochar Mountain Rescue Team Base, Arrochar, G83 7AZ

Bookings open

Read more or book now

Sat 1 November: MWIS Weather Skills Workshop

The Weather Skills course is delivered by expert meteorologists from The Mountain Weather Information Service (MWIS), and aimed at all levels of knowledge, from complete beginner to those with some prior knowledge.

What you'll learn

  • Where the UK weather comes from
  • Air mass theory
  • Weather fronts and what they mean to us
  • Synoptic charts and how to interpret them
  • Relevant weather forecasts
  • How topography influences the weather
  • How elevation influences wind, temperature and precipitation
  • Planning and route choice based on synoptic charts and weather forecasts

Location: Perth

More information

Book now

Sun  November: MWIS Winter Weather Workshop

The Winter Weather course is delivered by expert meteorologists from The Mountain Weather Information Service (MWIS), and focuses on winter weather in the Scottish mountains. Some prior knowledge is helpful, for example having attended the MWIS weather course aimed at all levels (see above). 

What you'll learn

  • Understanding different airflow patterns and their winter characteristics
  • Reading the synoptic weather charts
  • Studying different types of snow
  • Freezing levels and freeze-thaw cycles
  • The winter microclimates in the mountains
  • Why does lightning happen in winter?
  • Different types of 'whiteout' conditions
  • Stormy patterns and weather windows
  • 'Alpine conditions' and the road to spring

Location: Perth

More information

Book now