Honister Slate Mine

Located at the top of Honister Pass a short distance north of Skafell Pike (tallest mountain in England) this is a working slate mine that offers both tours of the mines but also active adventure activities such as the “Via Ferrata” where you follow cables hammered into the side of the mountain. Worth a trip for the view of the valley alone there is a car park (free for paying visitors), a small, reasonably priced, cafe and an excellent shop which also has a small museum and windows allowing you to view workers cutting and shaping slate.

The mine tour is quite good which shows (and demonstrates) what it was like in the past to work in the mines but also touches on how they are reinventing themselves as more than just a mine in order to remain profitable in the modern day.

Tickets are available on-site but it is recommended that you purchase these in advance (particularly those for some of their more “extreme” activities such as the “Via Ferrata”). There is plenty of on-site parking though note the car park is not paved and can be very “bumpy”.

For further information please see honister.com.