Honister Crag, left, site of the via ferrata. Photo: Alan Faulkner CC-BY-ND-2.0
Britain’s first via ferrata will continue to operate while its owners look for agreement with authorities over using a controversial extension.
Honister Slate Mine’s route up Fleetwith Pike was set up four years ago and uses a system of fixed steel ropes, rungs and other protection to allow non-climbers a taste of adventure on Honister Crag.
But the mine’s owners had to pay a fine and costs totalling more than £28,000 in August when Natural England successfully prosecuted the company for damage to a site of special scientific importance caused by the extension and visitors using it.
Television viewers were able to see the battle between the mine’s late owner Mark Weir, who died in a helicopter crash near the Honister site in March, and opponents of his proposed 1.2km zip-wire, including the Friends of the Lake District.
It emerged during the programme that Honister Slate Mine had been set a deadline of 7 November to stop using what it calls the ‘deviation’ to the via ferrata, which was the subject of the prosecution and which had been installed without planning consent.
BBC Four’s Tales from the National Parks also showed behind-the-scenes discussions between Lake District National Park Authority chief executive Richard Leafe, a supporter of the zip-wire, and national park officers who, in the end, were unable to make a recommendation on whether to grant permission for the aerial slide.
In the end, the authority’s development committee turned down the proposals, despite support from Lake District resident and Everest summiteer Sir Chris Bonington, ironically vice-president of the Friends.
The late Mark Weir is filmed for the BBC Four programme
Honister Slate Mine spokesman Ellis Butcher said: “We had an amazing response from the programme.”
He said would-be mountaineers were still able to use the main section of the via ferrata, based on a system first used in the Italian Dolomites.
“In terms of via ferrata you can still do what we call the Via Ferrata Original now and in the future.
“In terms of the deviation, it’s very early days at the moment. What we are doing is working with Natural England and the LDNPA to work out a proposed route for the via ferrata that sidesteps any areas of sensitivity and has a consensus of agreement from all the appropriate authorities.
“Once we’ve done that we can move forward with a formal launch, but it’s very early days yet. There’s no guarantee we’ll find common ground and I think we’ll go through a few months of work and meetings and then get to a stage where we can say either ‘this is what we’ve got’, or ‘what’s being suggested won’t work for visitors’.”
Lake District chief executive Richard Leafe, in favour of the zip-wire
The via ferrata follows an old slate miners’ route towards a point near the top of the 658m (2,159ft) Fleetwith Pike.
The company is aiming to have any revised extension ready for use for the schools’ February half-term holidays. Honister Slate Mine is now being run by Mr Weir’s partner Jan, his brother Joe and mother Celia.
The company said it may yet appeal against the zip-wire proposals’ refusal by the Lake District authority.
Hugh
02 November 2011The Lake District is a National Park, not a theme park. If people want this kind of entertainment, they should go elsewhere.
Alan Corbett
02 November 2011This was a very interesting programme that raised a number of issues not just centred on the Lake district, but which are becoming more apparent in many rural areas. As a resident of Mid Wales, an area of outstanding tranquility and natural abundance, I can see both sides of this story. The two main sources of income here (like most of rural Britain) are farming and tourism, if you are not involved in either of these you are probably employed by the Public sector. The public sector is now being slashed and hill farming employs few people, so we must support tourism. The side story of the national park authority's decision to refuse planning permission is the loss of 30 jobs if Honistor closes, the Via ferrata subsidises the slate mine. It is all very well trying to protect landscape for visitors, but tourism can't be accomodated if local people can not get jobs and therefore afford to live in the park. Personally, I feel adventure tourism and eco tourism are the only ways rural Britain can afford to make a future in the 21st century. Plus it's a fabulous way of introducing young people to our countryside, who after all are our tourists of decades to come. There are plenty of tranquil places to enjoy, let people have some fun in our parks and more importantly let local people earn a living in a sustainable manner. This used to be a highly industrial area a century ago let us not forget.
Steve
02 November 2011Agree with Alan Corbett, the Lakes lives or dies on tourism. How many farms supplement their income with Band B as one example. Also, Honister isn't the prettiest place in the world and in places it's a dump. I'm sure the National Parks Charter says something about these area being open to all. Though admittedly zip wires may not have been on peoples mind at the time. I just think there's always room for this type of adventure. I'd have had a do.
Stephen
02 November 2011To me an argument with good points on both sides. The via ferrata is all but invisible on the scale of the landscape, though the same can't be said for the zip wire nor potentially increased car parking at a relatively remote point in the District.
@Hugh - the Dolomites is also a National Park with many vias ferratas (or whatever the right plural is), and is gloriously beautiful with no detrimental impact.
Chris Jex
02 November 2011I think the decision to not go ahead with the zip line was the wrong one. It is clearly obvious this would have created even more jobs in the tourism sector and would have introduced tourists to the great outdoors (in all its guises) in a structured and responsible manner with all the H & S requirements covered. This is far better than letting or encouraging folk to go off anf ramble about the national parks with little skill or ability to look after/rescue themselves (take a look at the number of rescue call outs the Lake District mountain rescue services attend to).
I hope they re apply and are successful in their application. This was an industrialised area once and can only be improved upon by responsible management of tourism in the area.
It is interesting that there is a great new mountain biking project being undertaken in Snowdonia close to Ffestiniog very close to the national park. This is seriously going to alter the hillside with access roads and routes on 2 sides of a once almost pristine hillside.....no problem there though....
I did notice on the TV documentary the lack of under 50's on the planning group who made the final decision....Come on Lake District National Park, get some younger members on the commitee. We are not all mad extreme sport people wanting to ruin the tranquil beauty of the area, think about what the future generation will be interested in. Dont make the National Park into a Fossil.
jagwalker
02 November 2011A good set of comments, the Lake District is a national Park, not a sterile environment, and there should be space for tourism activites such as the Via Ferrat. As long as it avoids the sensitive areas, it should go ahead.
Nick B
03 November 2011Get real. Through the persuasive argument of job creation and the vision of black kids from the inner city coming to enjoy the great outdoors, Honister Slate Mine is fooling everybody - the National Park's chief executive included - into believing the via ferrata and the zip wire are some amazing things that the Lake District can't do without if it is to survive into the 21st century. I thought on the excellent BBC4 documentary that Richard Leafe from the National Park came across as not only slightly patronising to black city kids but also rather naive in buying into Mark Weir's slickly smooth vision of the future of the National Park. Firstly, Mark Weir rode roughshod over planning legislation - the crag is an SSSI for a reason, its not a designation created just to annoy and interfere with his business proposals. Secondly, the zip wire is an inappropriate development. The quarries are an industrial legacy but walkers don't want to see people sliding off Fleetwith Pike. Do this sort of scheme in a man-made coniferous forest. To drag Wainwright into the argument and almost say that he would love the zip wire is quite bizarre! Thirdly, is the Honister Slate Mine planning to let deprived kids come to their theme park and enjoy the facilities for free - no, I'm sure they will charge the schools an arm and a leg as they are in it to make a profit. If I was a teacher in an inner city school I'd let these kids enjoy the adventure of walking in the countryside, camping, and experiencing wild nature on foot. They've probably all been on zip wires in city parks anyway. The via ferrata and the zip wire are not the great saviour of the National Park. Fourthly, how has the Slate Mine got away with those bright orange 'easijet' signs that you can see from the tops of the fells a few miles away? If this is Richard Leafe's vision for the future of the National Park then god help the Lake District.
Dave
03 November 2011Nicely put Nick B.
Looking on the Honister web site I was surprised at the prices charged for the via ferrata I am amazed they get as much custom as they do. I cannot see how any "deprived kids" could afford to use it or any zip wire.
Meanwhile the hills, the lakes and the crags are readily available for adventurous pursuits that do not line someone else's pocket.
Bill k
03 November 2011Having watched the programme the other night it seems that one of the main objections is the increase in traffic that will be brought. I assume there would have been a similar argument with "Go Ape" and that was approved and even expanded over recent years. Why are there two different rules as would seem to be the case here.
Me and my family have been coming to the Lake District for over 25 years and have enjoyed most of the experiences that are on offer, including, Go Ape, Via Ferrata, visiting local towns and villages etc.
I have enjoyed walking up some of the highest hills and with my family we have been thrilled at the scenery that is on offer to those not able or willing to reach the peaks as well as those who do.
The argument that walkers will be disturbed by the positioning of the new zip wire is, in my opinion, a very weak one. How many of these walkers would go up Helvellyn on a sunny bank holiday weekend? Probably not many, as they don't want the crowd and noise that will be around that area. So they will go off and find a walk in a much quieter area, which is not hard in such a large and beautiful area.
If people feel the same about the Honister expansion then they can do the same.
I have enjoyed coming to the lake district and was looking forward to trying the new experience they were planning. Unfortunately I have been diagnosed with a brain tumour so this will prevent this. By strange coincidence this was diagnosed 12 months ago this week, following my collapse whilst out walking near Rydal.
From the programme seen, it seems that Mark Weir was exactly the sort of person this country needed, not just the lake district. If there were more people with vision and a "can do" attitude, this country might not be in the mess it is. Don't get me wrong, I am not in support of people just doing what they want, but there is far too much delay in the decision making process.
I hope this application is approved in the near future so that precious jobs can be saved and new ones created.
Chris L
03 November 2011Like it or not, anywhere else in the country, Honister Hause would be considered a brown field site of post industrial devastation. Because of its 'Heritage Value' and because it is in the Lake District, it apparently hallowed ground, and therefore deserves to get pickled in aspic to keep it just the way it is.
The Via Ferrata and its zip wire would be an insignificant addition to the blot on the landscape that is the Honister mine area with its spoil heaps and erosion scars spilling down Fleetwith and Dale Head. Why not use such a landscape to support the industry that most of Cumbria depends upon, and I am sure a zip wire is less intrusive than many other tourist attractions.
Walkers may not wish to see day trippers sliding down a wire, but who says the Lakes are just for walkers? I thought the National Park was for the enjoyment of all, including walkers, climbers, parascenders, horse riders, anglers, Japanese Beatrix Potter afficionados and steam rail buffs. Also possibly people who get a thrill sliding down a wire, and I know many walkers are among them.
To stay relevant, the National Park must be allowed to progress, and adventure tourism is a growing trend that the Lake District is admirably placed to benefit from. For some this will be distasteful as it might mean change to an area that apparently should not. However, carefully managed change can be the way forward, and a zip wire may make a good starting point.
Jon
04 November 2011It's not the visual impact of a zip wire that would bother me. It's the aural impact of screaming punters.
william hill
04 November 2011I have lived in the Peak District all my life it was a wonderful place to live before it became a National Park.It is run by people who have no idea how the countryside works,they have emptied our village of young people who now through the park authorities actions they cannot afford to live,any barn conversion has a stipulation that it can only be used for holiday lets,the moorlands are choked with grass due to restriction on burning subsequently the heather has died of which the Black Grouse fed on they have now disappeared,the village is nothing more than a museum for walkers who think the National park is just for them,any new development always endangers a frog bug or flower,but they are only endangered in their eyes because the do not know where to look.The area is a spiders web of footpaths yet the authorities bring out the right to roam so more wildlife is disrupted.I can see no harm whatsoever a zip wire and via ferrata would do at Honister it would be a contained area,with this sort of blinkered outlook from planners there would be no such places as Aviemore etc ,I am sure if walkers want solitude there are many other places to be, why be so selfish,it would be far better if they put their energy into learning the country code,they walk with there dogs pick there mes up in a bag the hang it from a bush or take a stone of a wall to put on top how green is that.
H
05 November 2011The programme was very interesting, I personally am in full agreement of the Zip wire. The Lakes are a massive expance of land so why would this Zip wire cause such a stir, It's a fantastic way to get families active whilst the kids are exited about doing more than just walking.
I know this is a different area but i was watching Grand Designs a couple of days ago and they Ruined a perfectly good house Set in "The Lake District National Park" that fit in perfectly, then they built some big Dome house with pink and blue windows that in my eyes looked a complete eyesore. It was far to contrasting to the environment Yet it was ok for them to go ahead. This said I really DO NOT understand why The Zip Wire caused such a stir. The Zip wire would not be as noticable as The dome house yet they were allowed to continue. Th e Zip wire should go ahead
LLoyd George
10 December 2011The zip line via ferrata is a disgracefull idea, how dare these terrible honister people have the audacity to be in the position to create jobs for local people, the lakes should be for walkers preferably over 50 with good jobs.These adventure terrorists should be encouraged to visit places like snowdonia not the lakes, im quite sure Wainright would not have approved as peopleblatantly enjoying themselfs in this fashion would be against all he stood for.The national park should be a place of quite contenplation yoga,painting , photography are more suited activities, let these so called adventurers go and spend their money in Blackpool,we dont need their money (i have a very nice pension)
Moorsman
23 August 2017Just leave Dartmoor alone.