Fleetwith Pike, site of the via ferrata
Cumbrian residents are being offered the chance to enjoy a high-level climbing route free of charge.
A place on the Honister Slate Mine via ferrata normally costs £30, but owner Mark Weir is waiving the charge for those who live in the county and anyone who works in the Cumbrian tourism industry.
The via ferrata is a system of ladders, loops and cables on the side of Fleetwith Pike that gives non-climbers the chance to experience craghopping even if they don’t have the technical rockclimbing skills.
Mr Weir is also offering a free tour of the slate mine to locals, saving £10.
The offer will run next week, from 28 February, on a first-come, first-served basis. Residents will need to take proof of their address.
Mark Weir said: “We know times are tough for people while those who work in the tourist industry don’t always get the chance to enjoy what their guests do.
“If we can offer a good day out for free at Honister it’s putting something back into the community. Lots of people may have heard of Honister but may never have been up here, so it’s a chance to see what we’re all about.”
He will also personally lead tours of the mine in which his grandfather worked and which he reopened in 1997 after it had lain unused.
Last date for the free offer is 6 March. Details are on the Honister Slate Mine website.
Vie ferrate originated in the Italian Dolomites during the First World War and were first used to aid troop movements in the mountains. The system on the 648m (2,126ft) Fleetwith Pike was the first in Britain.
Stu Daily
24 February 2011Slightly disgusted. Why not simply reduce prices for everyone for a short period of time, everyone’s struggling at the moment – that’s why tourism is down in the first place (that and inflated parking charges). Its about time discrimination by geographical location was stamped upon. What’s next, charge foreign visitors double at university…oh.
Mark B
24 February 2011in response to Stu, I live in Cumbria, surely this is a good idea, for ONE week of the whole year to allow local residents to experience this activity and then spread the word is surely good for tourism, you can't use parking as an excuse for why tourism is down, probably better to look at fuel charges there, as a resident I am just as liable to pay the same charges as you, so where is the discrimination there, also I don't how a Slate mine is able to double charge foreign visitors at university :-) your point is..... I just see someone trying to hopefully market his business to a wider audience in the coming summer season.......
Sue Mc
24 February 2011I agree with Mark.
Stu you obviously don't live in this area.
Try earning a basic wage, (which most of the jobs round here pay) paying tourist prices for EVERYTHING, including carparks and you will soon be grumbling about discrimination by geographical location!
Congratulations Honister Slate Mine for coming up with a good marketing week, I hope it is a great success for you and the residents have a great day out.
PS Universities??
Terry
25 February 2011Maybe I'm just getting too cynical in my old age but could this perhaps be Mr Weir's way of winning a few friends locally before resubmitting his plans for a zip wire from the top of Fleetwith Pike to the slate mine?