Expedition Skills Course, Lake District

Doug Gurr ski touring in Greenland

Expedition Skills Course 5 -11 July

Fee: £795

Now in its 3rd year, this exciting annual 7-day course is a collaborative project between WMT, Woodsmoke & the Land Rover Experience. The aim of this dynamic and unique training programme is to provide a solid base of wilderness-proven skills, from UK’s three leading providers of off road driving, bushcraft and expedition medical training.

It starts mid-day and concludes at 5pm and is conducted at a remote private camp near Lake Windermere next to a swimming tarn!

No previous experience is required. Modular attendance NOW AVAILABLE for the WMT FAR FROM HELP COMPONENT @ £295 for 1 module.

• Woodsmoke bushcraft training - first 2.5 days
• WMT Far From Help - days 4-5 (arrive the night before - not suitable for doctors**)
• Land Rover Experience - days 6-7

WHO IS IT FOR?

This in-depth expedition skills programme is ideal for expedition leaders, film crews, doctors, anyone planning an adventurous expedition, or for those wishing to build their CV with a view to working professionally in the ecotourism and adventure travel industry as an expedition leader or guide. Retiring military personel doing resettlement training will greatly benefit from attaining the civilian qualifications from this course. Alternatively, join us for an exciting working holiday!

This 3 module course includes the industry standard foundation programmes from the 3 joint providers:

Wilderness Medical Training’s Far From Help

Woodsmoke’s Bushcraft & Wilderness Survival Training

Land Rover Experience’s Level 1 Off-road Driving Skills + an introduction to bush mechanics

In detail, each module includes the following:

Woodsmoke ‘Bushcraft & Wilderness Survival Training’ - Trailbreaker, including elements from the Woodlander and Wilderness cookery courses. Visit Woodsmoke's great website.

· Outdoor safety, sanitation and hygiene
· Establishing an expedition camp
· Safe use and maintenance of knife and saw
· Safe use and maintenance of axe & machete
· Tree felling considerations
· Wilderness fire making techniques
· Collection, purification and transportation of water
· Wilderness fishing and trapping techniques
· Bush navigation and starcraft
· Natural bindings and cordage
· Expedition cookery and trail food
· Lightweight camping systems
· Jungle camping systems
· Equipment considerations and maintenance
· Rope throwing, pulleys & basic knots

+ these additional expedition skills, time permitting

· Signalling and communications
· Wilderness emergency procedures
· Expedition planning & preparation
· Environmental impact assessments
· Risk assessments
· Crisis management plans
· Wildlife hazards
· Tyrolean crossing

Wilderness Medical Training - Far From Help

• Legal considerations
• Expedition Medical Planning – where to find information
• Nursing care for ill or injured casualties
• Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation
• Diagnosis - taking a history
• Examples of history taking
• ABC approach to ill or injured casualties
• Soft tissue injuries and burns
• Venomous bites and stings

• Shock & blood pressure
• Practical - measuring blood pressure
• Heat & cold injuries
• Incident management
• Altitude sickness
• Fractures & dislocations
• Use of flexi-splints/improvised splints
• Head, neck & spinal injuries
• Coma position, log rolling, neck collars, moving, straightening, lifting, rope stretchers, other carries
• Diseases of the nervous system
• Chest & abdominal injuries

• Common heart & lung problems
• Gut, kidney & gynaecological problems
• Eye & ear, nose & throat problems
• Examining eyes & ears
• Diarrhoea
• Infections & antibiotics
• Malaria & immunisations
• Medical kits & supplies

Land Rover Experience - Level 1 Off-road Driving Skills, including bonus elements from Land Rover’s Level 2 and winching courses.

· Vehicle familiarisation
· Basic maintenance
· Observation skills
· Route planning
· Manoeuvring
· Ruts & tracks
· Crossing ditches
· Mud & wet grass (weather permitting)
· Steep inclines and gradients
· Convoy techniques
· Introduction to winching
· Basic recovery techniques

**ATTENTON DOCTORS: This component of the programme will be substituted with intensive mountain skills training. Far From Help is not suitable for qualifed doctors but is for nurses/paramedics.

This ground breaking course is open to anyone without prior experience. Spaces are limited.

Fee: £795 (held at '07 rates)

The price includes:

• camping and camping food/equipment
• specialist group equipment
• course notes/manuals
• all instruction
• use of Land Rovers and associated equipment
• VAT at 17.5%

The fee excludes:

• Personal equipment/clothing
• Anything not expressly mentioned above

DOCTORS – you are welcome on this course and the medical component, Far From Help, will be substituted with professionally supervised rock scrambling, rock climbing, hill walking and navigation training (appropriate to the weather).

MODULAR BOOKINGS for the Woodsmoke or Land Rover Experience modules may be available nearer the time space permitting @ £300 per module. Please apply if interested. You can book now just to attend Far From Help!