Travel bucket list idea:
Via Ferrata at Honister
Keswick, Cumbria, United Kingdom (UK)
Last updated: 26 March, 2024
Via Ferrata is a form of mountain climbing that traverses the rock face, using a system of iron rungs and supports. Fortunately, you don’t need to be an experienced mountaineer to have a go; you are guided along the entire route by professionals and are secured to the mountain by a steel cable.
Honister Via Ferrata offers the chance to experience all the thrills of mountain climbing, even to complete beginners. There are two routes (Classic and Extreme) which partly follow old miners’ paths along the fell sides around Fleetwith Pike.
There’s also a heart-pumpingly high Infinity Bridge, which hovers 1000m above the valley floor – it’s the longest bridge of its kind in Europe and, without a doubt, the biggest thrill in the Lake District.
While you’re there
Honister is the site of a massive former slate mine, and the centre here offers fascinating daily 1.5-hour guided tours of the underground tunnels and mineshafts.
Logistics
Price from: £60
Minimum age: 10
Age suitable: 10+
When: All year around
Duration: 3 hours
Getting there & doing it
There are two levels to choose from. The Classic course takes 2-2.5 hours; the more physically challenging Xtreme course – with more vertical climbs and cliff-edge ladders – takes 2.5-3 hours. Both require a minimum age of 10 and minimum height of 1.3m.
Arrive 30 minutes before departure (essential), and wear strong footwear, trousers (not shorts) and a tight-fitting top. Technical and safety equipment is provided.
When to do it
Available all year round, seven days a week, weather permitting.
