I have just returned from a week in the Lakes. The weather was foul most of the time, but we managed to have a fun filled week anyway! Last Sunday morning we took a trip to the Via Ferrata, along the Honister Pass. Click http://www.honister-slate-mine.co.uk/via_ferrata.aspto visit the website.
You don’t need to be an experienced climber, or to have a great deal of upper body strength to do this. You do, however, need a bit of bottle! The Via Ferrata was introduced in WWI to help troops navigate the alps. Here are the pics which I didn’t take because I had other things on my mind:
The Ascent Begins
Very scary…
Twitchy bum time!
The climb takes between 2 and 3 hours…
About mid way through the climb here
Clinging on - do I look nervous??
Ceris, my eldest daughter follows close behind. She had a great week, having got the A level results she needed to go to Warwick!!
Ceris follows behind me...
My youngest daughter, reaches the overhang. She did fantastically well as she was very scared.
Rianne
The whole thing was Mick’s idea – so cheers mate, a man can’t have enough ways to scare his kids!
My good friend Mick leads the way
Rianne perseveres…
Rianne navigates a tunnel used by the Slate Miners
Ceris does so too.
And so does Ceris.
Tired and nearing the top.
Myself and Mick about to emerge into daylight
At last we reach our goal! No casualties 
.
At last - the summit!
Here are a couple of shots I did take:
Jutinder and the girls in more relaxed mode.
I like this moody shot of a solitary tree on a Tarn not far from Coniston.
Small tarn near Lake Coniston
On Tuesday, we climbed Scafell Pike and what a slog it was. The higher we went, the worse the weather turned! Howling wind and driving rain was the order of the day. I didn’t get many pics as it was a struggle keeping the camera dry, but will post some soon.
In between epic adventures we relaxed in a number of fine local hostelries. Inns I can definitely recommend include: The Black Bull, the Crown Inn, The Sun Hotel (all in Coniston); The Church Inn and the Wilson Arms at Torver; The Drunken Duck (not far from Coniston) and the Queen’s Head at Troutbeck. Locally brewed beer was available at all of them! Favourites include: Hawkshead bitter, Hawkshead Gold, Hartley’s XB, Tag Lag and Coniston Bluebird (Champion beer in 1998)!
So all in all, a fantastic week, even if I did miss out on the heat wave back home.
More soon…
Rick
