British Cycling Off-Road Leader Award Level 1 (Fundamentals) Course – in the Peak District
This award is ideal for anyone keen to lead groups through mixed terrain, from gravel paths and urban fringes to the open countryside and most blue trail centre routes. Whether you’re boosting existing rides with training and insurance or starting something new for your school, activity centre, or friends, the Off-Road Leader Award gives you the skills and confidence to make it happen.
This award is developed from the old Fundamentals of Mountain Bike Leadership Award.
We are an accredited provider to run this 16 hour training and assessment course and we make the most of our excellent British Cycling approved trainer, onsite bike tracks & skills park, training rooms and our fantastic location in the heart of the Peak District. The majority of the two day course is practical and you will be riding in both the limestone White Peak and gritstone Dark Peak areas; giving you a great variety of terrain to learn new leadership skills.
2 Day Course Overview – What You’ll Learn
The course covers many leadership, safety, and technical topics, including:
- The fundamental leadership skills to lead safe, engaging, and enjoyable rides
- An introduction to route planning and navigation
- Risk assessments and incident management
- Basic trailside repairs to keep your riders on the trail
Please see the British Cycling website for more information about the award.
Course Structure
The course consists of:
- e-learning – 2-3 hours of e-learning to complete online before the practical days
- Practical days – 2-day in-person training and assessment
Assessments will be made in a supportive environment on the course when completing tasks, through discussion, and whilst demonstrating leadership skills on the rides.
Pre-Course Requirements – Set by British Cycling
To enrol in the Off-Road Leader Award, you must:
- Be a current British Cycling Member/Supporter
- Be at least 17 years old (Note that you will only be able to lead independently once you are 18)
- Able to ride a suitable off-road bike comfortably on roads with some traffic, off-road trails up to trail centre blue grade, and ride regularly with an appropriate level of fitness
- Have completed a minimum of ten rides of at least 1 hour and five rides of at least 2.5 hours duration over the last six months – Download an electronic logbook from British Cycling to keep track of your rides
Personal Equipment
Candidates should arrive each day with:
- Their own bike in good working order (gravel bike, mountain bike, adaptive bike or E-bike)
- Helmet, riding clothing suitable for the weather conditions and a kit bag/rucksack with equipment
- Food/snacks for a day of riding, along with a change of clothes for the indoor sessions
Accommodation & Catering
This is a non-residential course. However, on-site accommodation may be available at an additional cost – please contact us to enquire. If we’re fully booked, we’ll be happy to recommend local alternatives.
- Hot drinks and refreshments are provided
- Meals are not included – please bring a packed lunch each day
Course Cost
Location & Directions
The course takes place at Thornbridge Outdoors, located in the heart of the Peak District.
- Thornbridge Outdoors, Longstone Lane, Great Longstone, Bakewell, Derbyshire, DE45 1NY
- what3words: ///callers.provoking.monk
- For directions, visit our Find Us page
Booking & Further Information
British Cycling Insurance Requirements
To be covered by British Cycling insurance, after successful completion of your course/assessment, you are required to:
Expand Your Qualification
Want to lead group rides on trails in non-remote environments in intermediate weather conditions with up to 8 riders? Book on the Trail Leader Award (Level 2).
