Let’s Hang On

As promised, a picture of me nonchalantly hanging on the side of a mountain, during yesterday’s “Via Ferrata Extreme” experience. Based at Honister Slate Mine, you scramble around some very steep bits of mountainside, using a series of iron hand and foot holds set into the rock (Via Ferrata literally means “Iron Way”), before a short steep walk through the old mine tunnels and workings leads to the summit. Obviously, you are also attached to a safety wire so any fall would only be of a couple of feet. Having done a lot of rock climbing in my younger days, it all felt perfectly comfortable and at no time on the walls did I feel unsafe, no matter how steep the drop beneath me. One of our party didn’t feel the same however, and turned back within a few feet of the start of the route.
The one bit I wasn’t that keen on was crossing a gorge on a wire rope bridge. Not through any sense of danger, but it required a lot of strength and determination to stop a wobble becoming more serious, which might have led to a slip and leave you hanging in mid air. Unfortunately, one of our party was doing an awful lot of wobbling, which snaked back across the bridge, making it more difficult for those of us behind him to hang on. It meant I couldn’t really enjoy the experience of standing above a sheer drop, supported only by three strands of wire as I was concentrating hard on just maintaining my balance.
The whole thing took three hours and I would certainly recommend it as long as you are reasonably fit and have a good head for heights. I think it falls into the “only have to do it once” category of adventure because it is the unknown elements that add to the fun. Doing it for a second time - and knowing exactly what was going to happen - would tend to lessen the excitement. Unless you went when it was raining or icy, in which case it could all get very interesting!
The one slight disappointment was the quality of the souvenir pictures I had to pay £15 for. Only a few of me on my own and most of those were a back view. I appreciate it is not possible to allow friends and family near enough to take photographs, but maybe they could have more instructors with cameras, or set up some fixed, remotely operated cameras at the best bits. Though I suppose you could do what a few in our group did, and attach a Go-Pro to your helmet. All in all a very enjoyable afternoon. Big thanks to Mrs C for not only thinking of it as a Christmas present for me in the first place but for also buying a little “I’ve done the Via Ferrata” slate coaster, which she presented to me over breakfast this morning. Nice to have a tangible reminder of the event to look back on in the future, when I reach an age where I can’t even climb the stairs, never mind tackle a Via Ferrata!