Honister Slate Mine offers high adventure on Fleetwith Pike

At the head of Borrowdale, where the road climbs over the Honister Pass, a slate mine has become one of the Lake District's most memorable adventure destinations.

Honister Slate Mine's via ferrata routes follow fixed cables, rungs and ladders up the face of Fleetwith Pike. The idea, borrowed from the iron ways of the Italian Dolomites, allows people without climbing experience to move safely across steep mountain terrain while clipped to a steel line.

The Classic route is the gentler option, following a series of rungs, ladders and bridges along the old Victorian miners' footpath that once carried workers to the quarry faces high on the crag.

For those wanting more, the Via Ferrata Xtreme route includes a skywalk across the Infinity Bridge before approaching the summit of Fleetwith Pike. The operator describes the bridge as the longest high-wire bridge in Europe, at 190 metres long. Crossing it, high above the valley, is the moment many people remember most, a test of nerve rewarded with a sense of achievement and a story to tell for years afterwards. Instructors guide groups throughout, and the routes are designed so that people with a head for heights but no climbing background can take part.

The views are a big part of the reward. From high on the crag, climbers look out across Buttermere and the western fells, a perspective usually reserved for experienced mountaineers.

The mine has continued to add to its offer. National press reports have described a long zip line at the site, carrying riders down from Honister Crag towards the valley, a project said to have taken more than 15 years to bring to life.

The adventure sits alongside the mine's slate heritage. The routes themselves follow paths once used by quarry workers, a reminder of the generations who earned their living from slate in this high, exposed corner of Borrowdale.

It is the kind of day out that suits groups of friends, families with older children and anyone looking to mark a special occasion with something unforgettable.

Routes, age and fitness requirements and booking are explained on the Honister website, and adventurers are advised to book ahead, especially during school holidays.