Girlguiding UK Climbing and Abseiling Scheme

The Girlguiding scheme for climbing and abseiling was conceived in 2000 in order to give members the best available levels of instruction and safety whilst taking part in these activities.

The new system will finally take over on October 31st 2002, in order for Guiders to have time to review their situation and implement new practices. Courses, information and qualifications under the new system have been available since spring 2000.

The scheme has been devised with the co-operation of the Mountain Leader Training Board, and is generally in line with current practices in commercial organisations operating under the AALA licensing scheme.

In general it is recommended that GGUK members are instructed by National Governing Body award holders in climbing and abseiling. These awards are:

-The Single Pitch Award (SPA). This entitles SPA holders to instruct on rocks where (to summarise): there is access on foot to top and bottom; the crag is less than one rope length ('pitch') high; no mountaineering skills are required to approach the crag; the crag is not in a tidal area. SPA holders may teach climbing by top rope methods, i.e. where the rope is secured from above, and not 'lead' climbing or multi-pitch climbing.

- The MIA or MIC (Mountaineering Instructor Award or Certificate). A person holding an MIA or MIC can teach almost any aspect of climbing and mountaineering in the UK. The difference between the two is that MIC holders can also teach winter climbing (e.g. involving the use of ice axes and crampons).

- British or International Mountain Guides (BMG or UIAGM). A guide is qualified to take anyone climbing anywhere in the world, including ascents of the greater ranges, alpine climbing and expeditions. It is unusual for Guides to teach beginners climbing in the UK, but they are amply qualified to do so.

However, it is recognised that some types of climbing instruction for beginners don't require such high levels of qualification, and it is principally this area that the scheme addresses.

The Guide Association scheme, in common with most commercial providers of outdoor activities and LEA's, has two lower tiers of instructor:

Level 1 - For climbing walls and abseil towers

Level 2 - for very simple, safe crags which are almost akin to climbing walls in their safety aspects (e.g. Southern Sandstone crags in the south-east of England)

(N.B. Level 3 is actually the SPA, which is a National Governing Body Award. However, we do organise SPA courses especially for Guide Association members.)

To see what this means to you and your group, see 'Frequently Asked Questions'

Glossary of Terms

To see a general outline and pictures of climbing as a sport, click here

Pitch - rope length

Crag - outcrop of rocks

Top rope - any system of climbing where the climber is secured by a rope coming from above - they won't fall any distance

Bottom rope - another type of toproping, where the rope is secured at the top but one end is held by the belayer standing at the bottom. This is the most common type of beginners climbing session.

To belay - to hold the rope for the climber, always using a belay device which 'locks' the rope.