Slate mine zip wire to open to public

A zip wire stretching nearly three-quarters of a mile (1.2km) in the Lake District will open to the public on Saturday.

It runs next to Honister Slate Mine and its developers said it would be England's longest, with the 0.45 mile (720m) Hangloose in Kent currently claiming the title.

The national park attraction was given the go-ahead last year despite objections, following a long-running saga.

The site's directors Prentice and Piers Wilkinson-Weir said they were "incredibly proud" to open the visitor destination.

The zip wire first received planning permission in 2018 after previously being denied in 2011 and 2012.

Revised plans for the attraction then had to be submitted in 2025 after a landing post was moved.

The latest plans were then approved in March that year, with Buttermere Parish Council and Friends of the Lake District raising concerns.

They said the plans were of concern "primarily due to conflicts with the statutory purpose of National Parks".

The wire runs next to what has been described as the oldest working slate mine in England.

People traveling along the line, which travels from the summit of Honister Crag to the Honister Slate Mine Visitor Centre, can reach speeds up to 65mph (104km/h).

The brothers said the wire represented the family's "commitment" to investing in the area and supporting the local economy.

"This project has been talked about for many years, so to finally see people taking flight from Honister Crag is a fantastic feeling," they said.

When the zip wire is not in use by visitors, it will transport slate down to the workshop.

Some residents previously told the BBC the attraction would "bring people back" to Honister, while others said there were already enough tourists in the Lake District.

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