Honister Via ferreta

I have just recently been up to Honister in England's beautiful Lake District and completed the Via Ferreta at http://www.honister-slate-mine.co.uk . It was a fantastic weekend as I took 9 workmates with me most of whom had not done anything quite like it before. We spent two nights at the Tan Hill Inn which in itself was good fun but the day at the mine was excellent. The day started with a tour of the mine which is still actually working and producing the best slate in the world it was also interesting to hear how difficult it was during the Victorian era with lads as young as 8 working in these mines. We are so fortunate these days aren't we? The highlight of the day however was doing the Via Ferreta up Fleetwith Pike to a height of around 2300 ft . What is a VF? A via ferrata (Italian for "iron road") is a mountain route which is equipped with fixed cables, stemples, ladders, and bridges. The use of these allows otherwise isolated routes to be joined to create longer routes which are accessible to people with a wide range of climbing abilities.
The VF at Honister at the moment is the only one so far in England and Great Britain and it is a beauty, it also has a spiffing zip wire which takes you 80 metres across the crag to a quite vertical section of VF on the other side. I will not go on to much about the VF as you can see the photos by clicking this link and then clicking 'view slideshow' as well as check out the site. http://www.flickr.com/photos/cjk/sets/72157614540771553/

England's Highest.

Scafell Pike pronounced Sca Fell Pike is England’s highest mountain. It is a bulk of a mountain and in my opinion not as attractive as somewhere like Haystacks or Great Gable, however it does have attractive
aspects to it, my own favourite being on the way up to the summit from Wasdale Head, about 1/3 of the way up you come to an open expanse of scree and cliff known as Hollow Stones. This is a fantastic place to bivvy
down for the night with a range of overhanging boulders for shelter. The summit is not visible from this point one must continue past Hollow stones by either Mickledore on the right approach (my favourite) as it provides one with a nice little scramble up a cliff before turning left and and following through the boulders to the summit, or the approach to the left of Hollow stones via Lingmel Col which is a winding path through rock & scree. Once on the summit you (depending on the weather) are subject to wonderful views of Great Gable, Crinkle Crags, Scafell , Bowfell even Skiddaw & Blencathra with Derwent Water. I ascended from Wasdale head via Hollow Stones and returned to Wasdale head via Broad Crag, Esk Hause and Sprinkling Tarn. From Sprinkling Tarn to Wasdale Head I followed Lingmell Beck which gave majestic views to my right of the Napes high above me on Great Gable. Right at the end of this walk is of course the Wasdale Head Inn.

The photo's are from top to bottom. 1.The view from Hollow Stones of Pulpit Rock & Mickledore.2.Looking over Piers Gill onto Great gable, the bank of scree down the centre of Great Gable is called Great Hell Gate,I came down this when I did Great Gable (mostly on my bum). 3.Me on top of Skafell Pike with Skafell behind me. 3.Pulpit Rock from Mickledore..