Honister Crag Via Ferrata
Sun 15 Jul 2007
Route: Honister Pass - via ferrata - Black Star - Fleetwith Pike - Honister Pass
Distance: 3.00 miles
Ascent: 1,100ft
Time: 2 hours
With: Simon our guide and 10 others including Anne and David & Jennifer Hall
Notes:
Warm, broken cloud building.
Honister Slate Mine has recently opened a via ferrata up Honister Crag following the route taken by the old mine workers. To find out more about 'The Edge' visit http://www.honister-slate-mine.co.uk
From the Honister Slate Mine website:
'Ferrata is Italian for 'Iron Way' and the system has been used in the Alps for more than a century. During World War One, they were used to ferry troups and equipment over mountainous terrain.
Honister's Via Ferrata is an adventure climbing system that uses a permanently fixed cable for safety and protection up the rock face of the old miners' route. You are attached to this system by a harness provided by Honister. Full safety instructions are provided and initially all tours will be guided.'
© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Licence number AL100038401
The Visitor Centre at Honister Slate Mine at the top of Honister Pass
Honister Crag from Honister Pass
Kitted out and heading along one of the mine roads
Honister Crag, we are going up there!
In Honister Slate Mine
Back out in the open and heading up to the start of the via ferrata
Looking back to the mine entrance we have just come out of (far right). We had entered the mine from the road on the left (high above the digger)
Heading up an incline to get to the start of the via ferrata
Looking down on Gatesgarthdale Beck and the Honister Pass road
Another view back towards the top of Honister Pass
The via ferrata starts here going over a bridge (out of shot left) and up the incline in front
A short ladder to get things started
...and then a bridge made out of old railway tracks
No breaking you in gently, this scramble section straight after the bridge was in fact the hardest part of the whole route
Looking back down the short scramble
Heading up the incline
Honister Crag via ferrata
Carrying on up
Ascending the incline
Looking back down the incline
The top of the incline, at this point we headed underground again
Another shot before we head underground
Looking out the mine entrance
Ascending the underground incline, Anne with our guide Simon
Light at the end of the tunnel
Looking down!
Nearing the top of the via ferrata, we had come out of the tunnel on the right
Looking back down the top section of our route
You have been warned! No heading down the via ferrata then!
View from the top of the via ferrata near Black Star summit
The Buttermere valley from Black Star's summit
Great Gable and Kirk Fell with Scafell inbetween, above Beck Head, from Fleetwith Pike
Buttermere from Fleetwith Pike's summit
Haystacks, Seat and High Crag with Pillar behind from Fleetwith Pike's summit
Heading back to Honister Pass with Black Star ahead
Heading down the mine road to Honister Pass
The mine road down to Honister Pass
Previous Walk: Selside Pike and Branstree (Sat 14 Jul 2007)
Next Walk: Dodd (Tue 17 Jul 2007)