UK Mountain Qualifications

GO WITH A QUALIFIED GUIDE OR INSTRUCTOR...

If you want the inside track (or want to get off the beaten track) then go with a guide. With their detailed local knowledge and expertise, professional guides, instructors and walking leaders can turn a great day out into an experience you’ll never forget. To avoid disappointment, it’s advisable to book guided walks and tours in advance. For multi-pitch climbing qualified instructors and guides should be members of AMI or IFMGA and for snowsports BASI or SNSC. Activity providers for the under 18's will be registered with the AALA. They will all display their respective logo's. This is YOUR guarantee of quality.

British Mountain Guides (BMG) and IFMGA

Many years of climbing and mountaineering experience are required to join the BMG as a trainee candidate. The Guides' training scheme meets the standards laid down by the European Guides Commission (EGC) and is ratified by The International Federation of Mountain Guiding Associations (IFMGA), formerly referred to as the Union Internationale des Associations de Guides de Montagne (UIAGM). It takes many years to attain full membership of the BMG/IFMGA. This covers UK summer and winter mountaineering and Alpine guiding and skiing. Only IFMGA guides or BMG aspirant members under the supervision of an IFMGA guide, are permitted to operate in the Alps... Please read more at the BMG website.

The Association of Mountaineering Instructors (AMI)

Substantial UK climbing and mountaineering experience are required before training and assessment. The AMI members consists of holders of either the Mountain Instructors Award (MIA) or Mountain Instructors Certificate (MIC). The MIA relates to UK summer mountaineering and rock climbing. The next stage up is the MIC, which, in addition to the summer skills, includes UK winter mountaineering and ice climbing... The MIC is the highest UK climbing qualification. MIC's will already be qualified as summer and winter ML's and will have passed the MIA. Please read more at the AMI website.

British Association of International Mountain Leaders (BAIML)

The professional body which represents the increasing number of British International Mountain Leaders (IMLs) who work in the hills and mountains of their home country, the alpine regions and further afield. Before November 2004 the recognised qualification was the European Mountain Leader Award (EML). Now, following the establishment of the Union of International Mountain Leader Associations (UIMLA) EMLs are now International Mountain Leaders (IMLs). As an Association, BAIML now has over 300 members, most of whom hold the full IML award. Please read more at the BAIML website.

WARNING The BAIML/IML qualification is valid solely for trekking and hillwalking below the glacier line. It does NOT entitle holders to run winter skills, mountaineering, via ferata or climbing courses with the planned use of ropes, axes or crampons.

You may come across some of these other awards which cover a range of outdoor activities, but do not include roped climbing in mountain terrain:

SPA - for taking groups single pitch rock climbing on crags and indoor walls.
ML Summer - for leading groups UK hill walking in summer conditions.
ML Winter - for leading groups UK hill walking all year round.
IML - for leading walking groups in Europe and Worldwide below the glacier line.