CANYON GUIDE LEVEL 1 - TRAINING COURSE + ASSESSMENT
Perthshire, Scotland

The UKCA Canyon Guide Level 1 (CG1) is the first level of professional certification within the UKCA award scheme. This training is designed for the competent intermediate level canyoneer who wishes to prepare for assessment in order to lead canyoning/gorge walking excursions in a commercial/professional environment rated up to V2A2i.
Key Information
Training - £260 pp
Assessment - £260 pp
min 2 - max 6 (Training) max 4 (Assessment)
min age - 18
mar - oct
free photos
COURSE
ASSESSMENT
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING AVAILABILITY SCHEDULE
Courses | Start Date | End Date | Location | Cost | Book Now |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
L1 Guide Assessment | 1st September 2022 | 2nd September 2022 | Perthshire, Scotland | £260 | BOOK NOW |
L2 Guide Training (Advanced Pro) | 5th September 2022 | 7th September 2022 | Perthshire, Scotland | £460 | BOOK NOW |
L2 Guide Assessment | 30th September 2022 | 1st October 2022 | Perthshire, Scotland | £260 | BOOK NOW |
Aim
The aim of this training course is to prepare the candidate for working as a canyoning guide in canyons rated V2A2i or below. The Canyon Guide Level 1 training course is designed to ready the candidate for the Canyon Guide Level 1 assessment. The course will cover skills in trip preparation, group management, leadership skills and rescue. This is a professional level of training so the candidate should be prepared with relevant canyoning skills and techniques.
Prerequisites
- Must be 18 years or older.
- Hold a valid first-aid certificate (2-day minimum)
- Good level of fitness and swimming ability.
- Have completed the Canyon Leader Certification (or equivalent level of canyoning training)
Syllabus
Day 1 - (Theory) UKCA, Responsibility, Standards, Leadership and Psychology
1A - UKCA Framework
- Knowledge of UKCA organisation, framework and pathway
1B - Standards and Responsibility
- UKCA professional standards and behaviour
- UKCA working controls
- UKCA Guide L1 role and responsibility
- Solo working controls
- Membership and CPD
- Risk assessments and SOPs
- SFE (Safety Fatal Error)
1C - Trip Management and Preparation
- Environment concerns and planning
- Participant Equipment
- Group Equipment
- Risk Acceptance Forms
1D - Psychology
- Participant fundamental needs
- Fear and Stress - participant assessment
- Fear and Stress - environment
- Comfort zones and participation
1E - Leadership
- Safety briefing
- Leadership tactics
- Group management
- Canyoning trip delivery
1F- Teaching
- Teaching concepts
- Steps of teaching
Day 2 - (Practical) Rigging and Pitch Management and Rescue
2A - Movement
The candidate will learn how to safely manage the following:
- Jumps
- Slides
- Down-climbs
2B - Rigging
- Anchors
- FIxed traverse lines
- Releasable systems
- Efficient rigging solutions
2C - Pitch Management
- Belaying
- Movement on Rope
- Double-Check
- Assisted abseiling
- Lowering
2C - Rescue
- Self Rescue
- Indirect Rescue
- Direct Rescue
- Team Rescue
2E - Incident Management
- Incident management process
- Transporting a casualty
- Emergency escape
2F - Feedback and Review
Email us: info@thecanyoningcompany.co.uk
Call us: 07565542766 – 07725813729
Profile
- A successful graduate of the Level 1 Canyon Guide Award will be able to lead novice canyoneers in a commercial environment through a canyon rated up to V2.A2.i.
- The graduate will be very comfortable in canyon environments, demonstrating excellent anticipatory skills for reducing risk to their customers and themselves.
- The graduate will understand and implement safe and efficient rigging solutions in the canyon environment.
- The graduate will be able to plan and prepare introductory canyoning experiences.
- The graduate will be able to teach basic canyoning skills to a group.
- The graduate will be a role model for canyoning.
Working Controls
A successful candidate will be able to work alone in a canyon rated up to V2A2i with up to 8 group members. This can be extended to 16 group members where another Canyon Guide L1 is present. A Canyon Guide Level 1 can assist a Canyon Guide Level 2 or a Canyon Instructor in canyons up to V3A3ii.
Assessment Venue
Day 1 Technical - A moderate risk canyon rated around V3A3ii. The canyons should ideally have a selection of features and technical elements for example rappels, jumps, slides and traverse lines.
Day 2 - Leadership, Incident and Group Management - A canyon rated up to V2A2i.
Email us: info@thecanyoningcompany.co.uk
Call us: 07565542766 – 07725813729
Want to bring your own?
You'll need a wetsuit, shoes for canyoning, a helmet and a full canyoning harness.

Canyoning Equipment
- Canyoning harness (with attachment point)
- Lanyards
- Hand ascender
- Chest ascender
- Chest Harness
- Descender
- Footloop
- 1x Master carabiner
- 4x Working carabiner
- Figure 8
- Canyon Quickdraw
- Slings
- Prussic
- Progression Capture Pulley
- Knife
Accommodation
Whilst on a course with us, different venues will be used. But we will be based in and around Perthshire. There are lots of options for accommodation in the Dunkeld and Pitlochry area. Here are some of our recommendations.
Self-catering
Tay Bunkhouse
Sister company to The Canyoning Company, is ideal for group bookings. The Tay bunkhouse caters for group retreats, activity weekends, special occasion breaks, families, and clubs. The bunkhouse is available for exclusive use, bookings all year round. Tay Bunkhouse is a beautiful self-catering stone cottage with three bedrooms sleeping up to 10 people. The kitchen has full self-catering facilities with an oven, microwave, fridge/freezer, and dishwasher. The lounge has sofas, dining table and benches, free view TV and free WIFI with ample space for you to relax after your day’s training.We have a large garden and outdoor space perfect for BBQs, dining or relaxing around the outdoor a fire with a dram. https://taybunkhouse.co.uk/
Logierait lodges
Our 15 well-appointed self-catering lodges, sleeping from 2 to 7 people, enjoy a stunning riverside location with balconies designed to maximise your views of the surrounding Highland Perthshire countryside. https://www.logieraitlodges.com/
Campsites
SCA Grantully campsite
Open all year round, Grandtully Station Campsite is family (and pet!) friendly and welcomes guests in tents, motorhomes and caravans. Situated between Pitlochry and Aberfeldy, two minutes walk from the Grandtully rapids on the River Tay, our site is a perfect base from which to explore the heart of Scotland. https://www.canoescotland.org/go-paddling/grandtully-campsite#gsc.tab=0
Hotels
Atholl Arms Hotel, Dunkeld
An award-winning 4-star hotel and restaurant, we’re right at the head of the five arched bridge over the famous River Tay that leads you into the charming conservation village and the cathedral city of Dunkeld, in the heart of highland Perthshire. https://www.athollarmshotel.com/
Fisher’s Hotel
Located right in the centre of the beautiful Victorian town of Pitlochry, Perthshire. The front door opens straight onto Atholl Road and the back door opens up to the train station. https://www.fishershotelpitlochry.com/
Other options
https://www.inver-caravan-park.co.uk/
https://www.dunkeldhousehotel.co.uk/
MORE TRAINING COURSES
BE INSPIRED
At The Canyoning Company we pride ourselves on achieving and maintaining the highest standard of Canyoning certification as we can.
Providing training and resources to a range of private sector and public sector organisations we also provide help with outdoors training, health and safety as well as knowing how to make your adventure a memory to remember.