If you are a walking leader that helps or assists with training for Ten Tors, you need to be qualified under Scout rules to take Scouts out onto the hills under the Adventurous Permit scheme. As you may or may not know, Scouting has many different activities which require authorisation; walking is just one of them. The hill-walking permit scheme has been adapted several times (sometimes after incidents) and the latest re-incarnation of this scheme has been run by the ASMAT team since 2006.
So, for Ten Tors, you need a hill-walking permit if you are taking Scouts and Explorer Scouts (or anyone else for that matter) out walking on the hills in terrain 1 or terrain 2. If you intend not to walk with the party but 'remotely supervise' them then you need a supervisory addition to your permit (the next grade up).
The Brecons, Black Mountains (we classify all of South Wales as Terrain 1) and Dartmoor's remote nature brings it into terrain 1 of the hill-walking permit scheme so each leader needs to attain a Hill-walking permit T1 (summer) certificate as a minimum before they can train or take parties out on the hills, (winter) if training then. In addition to this, a member of the party must also hold a "First Response" first aid qualification. This course requires 8 hours (terrain 1) of training which includes mountain related topics (e.g. hypothermia) not normally covered under the more domestic of first aid qualifications.
Haven't got a qualification? Don't worry! You can apply for a hill-walking permit. To support this application, we provide regular training weekends - our basic level County Skills weekend concentrates on the core skills required for a basic permit whilst our Snowdonia and Lake District events extend those skills. Once you have your permit, you are then qualified, authorised and insured by the Scout Association to take Scouts out walking within the remit of your permit.
If you require more information, please contact us.
