" The Discover Honister Tour " at EveryTrail
 

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Back to Honister for a second visit.

A total contrast in the weather from earlier this week

when we took advantage of the Via Ferrata Extreme and Mine Tours.

Roger is at work today, so I walked the dogs locally in the morning and drove up to do another 'Tour' on offer to locals this week.

	It is a new route for this year called 'Discover Honister'.   - - - o o o - - -   It aims to give a taste of the the many activities on offer at Honister Mine.   After travelling up on the bus to the start of the climb, we embark on a  short stretch of newly erected Via Ferrata.   - - - o o o - - -

Thanks to Becky, our Guide . . .		. . . for taking these photos.

- - - o o o - - -     Once the climb around the corner is completed it is time to be off across the 'Infinity Bridge'.   - - - o o o - - -

The bridge from below.

You can see some steps have been removed and others are at differing angles . . .

. . . it made it quite exciting !

....and finally a landing on the old aerial ropeway platform.

It was a cold wet day today !

Becky, our excellent Guide ( who also took us around the Mine in Tuesday) is here on the right.

We entered the tunnel to reach the newly opened Honister Mine Level and the Internal Incline.

Until now it has been closed to the public.

	- - - o o o - - -   Following Becky . . . into the darkness !   - - - o o o - - -

	- - - o o o - - -   Tunnels disappearing into the ceiling.   - - - o o o - - -

Down . . . into the depths.

Shadows and strange lighting all around.

Green slate and an orange tunnel.

This cavern has provided slate for Buckingham Palace and St Paul's Cathedral roofs.

The Honister Internal Incline complex includes a huge cavern.

Becky talking very knowledgeably about the mine's history and its present production of slate.

Out into the damp air again.

Just three days ago these same tunnels were full of ice, today they were dripping with water.

On the way home the weather took a turn for the better.

This is the view down Honister Pass towards Buttermere valley.

Those of you with sharp eyes may spot the Infinity Bridge high up amongst the crags.

If you can't . . . then it just shows how little the operation impacts on the local scenery.

This was my final photo before driving the short distance home.

- - - o o o - - -

What our two visits this week have shown is how the tourism supports the quarrying side of the business

and how little that tourism impacts on the fell side and the activity of others wanting to legitimately use this area for other activities.

With the use of the ladders, iron steps and wire bridges, our physical impact on the environment of the cliff face was absolutely minimal

as the only time we touched ground was on slab rock.  No stone was dislodged, no plant trodden on.

 

It was delightful to see how the mine is providing employment for many local people, both old and young,

and to see the smiles and excitement on the faces of our fellow members of the public who were able to experience

the history and the scenery that the area has in abundance.

 

Long may Honister continue to provide this excellent tourist facility 

and we wish them well in their continuing efforts to sympathetically develop the area.

- - - o o o - - -