Via Ferrata
Honister Slate Mine Honister Borrowdale CA12 5XN
There simply is no scarier adrenaline rush in the Lakes than climbing Honister’s Via Ferrata – an Alpine-style climbing and scrambling experience that takes you up the old slate miners’ route to the top of Fleetwith Pike, the 2000-foot-plus summit rising above Honister Slate Mine. You’re clipped on to a guide wire for safety, and have trained help for company, but other than that it’s up to you – negotiating hand grips, cliff-face ladders, bridges and narrow pathways. Look down at your peril. It’s open to all abilities (you don’t need any climbing experience), but be warned, it’s not for faint hearts. There are two routes, the "Classic" and the scare-yourself-daft "Xtreme", which adds a daunting rope bridge and scramble net into the mix, just in case you thought the whole thing wasn't challenging enough.
There are also underground mine tours, while 'Climb the Mine' puts you on vertical climbs, rope bridges and steel ladders actually inside the mine itself – giving you a unique perspective on how 19th-century miners once dug slate from these dramatic caverns.
