The BMC and the Central Council for Physical Recreation established the Mountain Leader Training Board in 1964. Since then the structure of Mountain Leader Training has developed, and there are now five training boards:
Between them, the five boards administer one international and eight national awards for walking, climbing and mountaineering leaders and instructors:
1. Climbing Wall Award - CWA
This award trains and assesses candidates in the skills required to supervise climbers on purpose built artificial climbing walls and boulders. The CWA does not include the skills and techniques required to teach lead climbing.
Find out more Watch the CWA film
2. Single Pitch Award - SPA
This award trains and assesses candidates in the skills required to supervise climbers on single pitch crags and climbing walls. Common activities undertaken by an SPA holder will be roped climbing and bouldering. The SPA does not include the skills and techniques required to teach lead climbing.
Find out more Watch the SPA film
3. Climbing Wall Leading Award - CWLA
This award trains and assesses candidates in the skills required to teach lead climbing skills on indoor or outdoor artificial climbing walls and structures with fixed protection. It builds on the skills acquired in either the CWA or SPA award, one of which candidates must hold to access the CWLA scheme.
Find out more
4. Walking Group Leader Award - WGL
This award trains and assesses candidates in the skills required to lead groups in non-mountainous terrain known as upland, moor, fell and down. The Peak District, Dartmoor and the Pentland Hills are typical areas where WGL holders lead groups.
Find out more Watch the WGL film
5. Mountain Leader Award - ML
This award trains and assesses candidates in the skills required to lead hill walking groups in summer conditions on routes not requiring the planned use of a rope. Established in 1964, this was the first award created.
Find out more Watch the ML film
6. Winter Mountain Leader Award – ML(W)
This award trains and assesses candidates in the skills required to lead walking groups in winter conditions in the mountains. The use of crampons & axes is covered in the scheme. It builds on the skills acquired in the ML award, which candidates must hold to access the ML(W) scheme.
Find out more Watch the ML(W) film
7. International Mountain Leader - IML
This international award trains and assesses candidates in the skills required to lead parties in mountain areas, including snow covered Nordic type terrain of the “middle” mountains. Via ferratas, glaciers and terrain requiring alpine techniques are excluded from the scheme. It builds on the skills acquired in the ML award, which candidates must hold to access the IML scheme. To operate outside the UK, IML-holders must be a member of a professional association called BAIML. The IML is an extensively used professional award.
Find out more Watch the IML film
8. Mountaineering Instructor Award - MIA
This award trains and assesses candidates in the skills required for instructing mountaineering, including all aspects of summer rock climbing, including the coaching of lead climbing, and scrambling. It builds on the skills acquired in the ML award, which candidates must hold to access the MIA scheme. The MIA is an extensively used professional award.
Find out more Watch the MIA film
9. Mountain Instructors Certificate - MIC
This award trains and assesses candidates in the skills required for instruction of mountaineering, both summer and winter, including snow, ice and rock climbing. It builds on the skills acquired in both the MIA and ML(W) awards; both of which candidates must hold to access the MIC scheme. The MIC is an extensively used professional award.
Find out more Watch the MIC film
There is also another qualification, not administered by Mountain Leader Training:
IFMGA Mountain Guide
This international award trains and assesses candidates in the skills required to guide climbing (including the coaching of lead climbing) skiing and mountaineering on rock, snow & ice, and in alpine terrain. Within the UK it is administered to the standards set by British Mountain Guides (BMG) and the International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations (IFMGA). The Guide’s carnet is an extensively used professional award.
Find out more Watch the Guides Film
People holding the ‘higher’ awards (MIA, MIC, IML and Guide’s carnet) undertake many days of training and assessment. They will have coached and instructed for many years and possess a wealth of personal mountaineering experience.
Professional Associations
There are four professional associations in the UK for holders of the awards listed above. They run continual professional development workshops for their members to keep up to date with current good practice, and their websites provide useful information outlining the type of work their members undertake.
Their websites include lists of members holding qualifications, so are a good place to start if you're looking for an instructor.