Mountain Training and the Mountain Training Association (MTA)

Q. Are Mountain Training and the Mountain Training Association the same thing?

A. No.

Mountain Training Association

The Mountain Training Association (MTA or ‘the association’) is a membership organisation for people who hold, or are working towards, Mountain Training qualifications. Membership is optional and highly recommended.



The association provides support and development opportunities as part of a UK and Ireland-wide community. Mountain Training Association members actively engage in personal development, either as trainees or qualified individuals, receive great regional opportunities to learn from one another and have access to a whole host of special deals and discounts. A quarterly magazine, The Professional Mountaineer, is written by members from four associations and is an excellent way of sharing members’ knowledge and expertise. Find out more about the benefits of being a Mountain Training Association member.

Mountain Training

Mountain Training is a concept and a collective term for the family of five national boards (England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland+NI and UK+Ireland) that administer climbing, walking and mountaineering qualifications and skills courses in the UK.



Between them, the national Mountain Training organisations are responsible for the following: administering the schemes, reviewing the schemes, creating the handbooks, publishing the books, developing the candidate management system and DLOG, approving providers, quality assuring providers, answering your questions about registrations, dealing with exemptions, processing your applications for the higher qualifications and providing a National Guidelines document (to name but a few).

Mountain Training has been developing qualifications that are relevant and fit for purpose since 1964.

So, to re-cap:

The Mountain Training Association is a members’ organisation for people who hold, or are working towards, a Mountain Training qualification.

Mountain Training is a collection of awarding organisations that administer qualifications and skills schemes.