Honister Slate Mine

Slate has been cut at Honister since at least the eighteenth century, and the green Westmorland slate from here roofs buildings across Britain; the mine closed in 1986 and was reopened in 1997, and it is now the last working slate mine in England, still extracting while running tours. Underground trips go into the Kimberley and Edge workings, chambers cut into the fellside by hand and by explosive, some of them cathedral-sized. Outside, a via ferrata follows the line of the old miners' route up Fleetwith Pike, on steel cables and rungs bolted to the rock, including an infinity bridge suspended over a ravine; the original path was used daily by men walking to work. The mine sits at 356 metres at the summit of Honister Pass, one of the steepest roads in the district.

What you actually see

• The working faces - England's last slate mine still cutting stone.
• The underground chambers - hand-cut voids in the fellside on guided tours.
• The via ferrata - cables and rungs on the miners' route up Fleetwith Pike.
• The pass summit - the mine standing at 356 metres on a one-in-four road.

When to go

April to October for the outdoor activities; underground tours run year-round but the pass closes in snow and ice. Booking is essential for everything, since group sizes are capped.

Honest expectations

Everything here is ticketed and pre-booked, with nothing much to do on arrival without a booking. The via ferrata is exposed and not a good idea for anyone uneasy with heights, and it runs in rain. The pass road is steep and narrow with hairpins.

Nearby

Buttermere lies west down the pass; Borrowdale and Keswick are east.