UKH

I have heard where is at least one via ferrata path in Lakes. Up to the Fleetwith Pike summit. Is it public or do you have to pay to access it? That's the best way to approach?

Are where others?

I'm a big fan of via ferratas and would like to give it a go to a British ones. Going to Lakes next week and would love to take out lanyard from a closet.

In reply to nutme:

www.honister-slate-mine.co.uk/

You have to pay. Though most of it is on public land, I believe.

In reply to pog100:

Thanks, "honister" owns it? I saw their site, but thought it's tour operator since they offer it as as a 'Fully guided' package rather than access.

In reply to nutme:

I got the impression that it's more of a touristy type thing.

In reply to nutme:

Going to open a can of worms here because it's controversial; however I feel I can give the definitive answer as I work on the Honister VF quite regularly.

As far as I know there are currently two true VF,s in the UK, Honister and Kinlochleven. Both are privately owned, having been constructed as a business venture at the owners expense. (Most, but not all, European VF's are funded by the local community to bring tourists into the area. The Saas Grund VF accident being the exception that springs to mind)

Yes, technically it is open access land, however it is also within the "mine sett" owned by Honister. Just as you would expect Hanson Aggregates to pull a face if you went for a wander through Horton Quarry. (Also open access land). As Honister VF is "owned" and subject to planning law; planning permission was required for its continued existence. It means Honister are liable for the safety of anyone using it. Just as Go-Ape would be liable at Whinlatter, also open access land.

The fact it is a private venture, tied with insurance concerns is the reason it's a guided trip.

In reply to Mypyrex: It's about mid grade as European VF's go. Sections of overhanging ladders, blank wall traverses, 60metre Burma Bridge etc. all with some good positions and exposure. Takes about 1.5 - 2 hrs to complete.

Cheers Adam

In reply to butteredfrog:

Thanks Adam, that's kind of the info I was seeking.

I can see that Honister has two runs. Clasic and Extreme as they call them. And they state only fit people can go on Extreme. That's promising, I think I'll give it a go. It should be fine with a group of strong people even if they are first timers.

Alpine Via Ferratas were just so much fun when I lived in the area. Hope British one will be awesome as well.

In reply to nutme:

You can book it through other providers.

We went there a couple of months ago and booked it through Keswick Adventure centre. They were very good.

In reply to butteredfrog:


I'm not clear they'd be liable for *anyone* using it. They'd be liable for anyone they "invited on to the land" to use it, so if they made it clear that people could come and use their own gear on it, then yes, they'd have some liability - and that well be one reason they don't do that.

But under CROW, I think any liability towards someone who crept on "uninvited" would be extremely limited?

In reply to nutme:

It's a tourist attraction rather than a 'real' VF (whatever that might mean). It's a bit of fun for a wet day but it's pretty short and easy for anyone who is reasonably fit and agile. Virtually all the climbing is on ladders, stemples and other aid, you only touch the rock occasionally. The best section is a down climb onto, and then traverse along, the overhanging sidewall of a large gully - again all on stemples,

We did the extreme earlier this year and as an unexpected bonus met Richard Hammond on the summit filming something or other.

If you want to do it, you may as well pay rather than trying to sneak onto it, the VF guides are generally local climbers so it helps keep them in work if nothing else.

In reply to butteredfrog:

There's also one in Yorkshire:
http://www.howstean.co.uk/activities/via-ferrata/

Whether that counts as "true" or not I don't know, not having seen it.

In reply to Mike Peacock:

The Howstean VF is quite short but also quite cool (literally as it's in a river gorge). Very 'new skool'.

In reply to Andy Say:

but again not free as the ones abroad

In reply to Carolyn:



It's probably a grey area. Taking something like Go Ape, if someone used the equipment uninvited out of hours I expect there'd be an attempt to sue if the equipment hadn't been secured to prevent unauthorised use. Iirc you could be prosecuted if a burglar fell through your fragile roof if you hadn't taken reasonable steps to prevent access.

In reply to Ridge:


You can't use GoApe stuff out of hours because they can unrig most of the route pretty easily at the end of the day. Only the fixed stuff (ziplines, wooden bridges etc) stay fitted. You need a decent amount of knowledge/gear to even start their courses out of hours because they use a ladder or something to get onto the starting platform in the treeline, since we had to chuck our line up with a rock on the end to loop it over a bridge and then jug up that way.

I can't imagine you'd get in much trouble if you found yourself doing any of the private VF's at night time with red headtorches or something. Probably be an excellent adventure. Though the type of people who would be interested in something like that wouldn't be likely to sue if they fell =/ Can't say the same for the companies who own the VFs as far as civil lawsuits.

In reply to Ridge:

The guidance I read recently - aimed at landowners with CROW land - was that there was much less liability towards the public making use of that land than, say, a farmer would have towards a trespasser on private land. Presumably that was included in the act so that landowners didn't have increased liability when previously closed land was opened up.

But I suspect any indication that it's acceptable to nip on after closing with your own kit could potentially be interpreted as an "invitation", thus opening up liability issues. Let alone the profit implications

In reply to nutme:

Just in case it influences your decision, the "Classic" VF costs £35 and the "Extreme" costs £39.50

As an aside, I was rather amused by this quote from the website link above
...."Allowing access to areas not usually easily reached-e.g - the summit of Fleetwith Pike (2,126 feet high)".

Fleetwith Pike not easily reached? I climbed it 2 years ago on crutches as my first outing in the hills after having had my ankle fused FFS!

In reply to Ridge:


In terms of Fleetwith I don't think there is a 'grey area'. The VF is on access land designated under the CRoW legislation. So it is 'open' to all those wishing to undertake 'recreation on foot'.

So anyone wanting to rock up and do the VF under their own steam is probably perfectly entitled to.

And the planning permission, or lack of, which enabled the VF to be put on Fleetwith is another issue altogether.