The Friends of the Lake District people came across as very smug to me – ‘oh this is such a tranquil area’. What, next to the road, and the big car park, and the mine?

I say let him build the zip wire, though it’s been rejected apparently.

I’m watching, and I would support the application.

Been rejected by them which is a shame as the area needs some other activities to give the tourist to do other than walk/shuffle around Ambleside!

It just annoys me that some people seem to think the Lake District should be kept exactly how they want it – which is a sort of twee middle class ramblers idyll – and this doesn’t fit into their vision.

+1 grumm 😉

I just watched the program,while I cant agree with some of Marks Colourful ways of working,and philosophy’s,he has created many new jobs for locals in a relativly remote area of the Lakes.

It seems crazy such a low impact idea has been met with such daft, ill thought out opinions, that are out of touch with the future development of the Lake District.

It’s an interesting one. I can see the argument for both yes & no. Honestly I’m undecided, I would need to visit the area & see the application before I could decide. Tragic about Mr Weir, damn whirlygigs..

The old duffers will be dead soon, then his kids can build it

When the nice lady from The SS started talking about rare moss my blood started to boil! One tiny line across an old mine…

Can’t wait to watch the off-roading episode 🙂

I just watched the program,while I cant agree with some of Marks Colourful ways of working,and philosophy’s,he has created many new jobs for locals in a relativly remote area of the Lakes.

Yeah he did seem like a bit of an oddball and maybe didn’t always pursue the best strategies – I just think trying to claim that Honister is some unspoilt wilderness is such a ridiculous argument.

yep, the vehicular off roading ones of some interest to me,I know of quite a few (once law abiding) M Cycle trail riders riding “free ride” since the nerc bill came in.
Its crazy, lets bring in legislation to target a once responsible user group!! 🙄

The Motocross boys riding uninsured on non roadlegal bikes are still out there ffs,Stephensons ground in the Dunnerdale fells,south Lakes, is a prime example. 😥

It just annoys me that some people seem to think the Lake District should be kept exactly how they want it – which is a sort of twee middle class ramblers idyll – and this doesn’t fit into their vision.

I’ve not seen the show but I’ll make a general comment…
I can see your point, but at the same time I can also see their point. Certain areas need to be kept “as is” otherwise we might as well build on everything and change the character of everywhere, protecting nothing. How do you choose what to protect and why? Just because you see something as “middle class” (which I find a bit off putting, why is a love of a quiet wild area middle class? How odd) doesn’t mean that’s what it is, why it’s being argued against, or wrong. If someone lives somewhere and doesn’t want an invasion of some sort, why shouldn’t they argue against it?

Certain areas need to be kept “as is” otherwise we might as well build on everything and change the character of everywhere, protecting nothing. How do you choose what to protect and why?

Yeah ok, but on the site of an existing working slate mine with a big car park and a valley with a busy road running through it, they go on about how tranquil it is so it must be protected…..

Just because you see something as “middle class” (which I find a bit off putting, why is a love of a quiet wild area middle class?

Have you ever been to the Lake District? 😉 I’m pretty damn middle class myself but the Lakes can feel increasingly like a twee outdoor ‘experience’ exclusively for well-off tourists – and their every whim must be catered for.

It’s really not a quiet wild area at all BTW.

If someone lives somewhere and doesn’t want an invasion of some sort, why shouldn’t they argue against it?

The irony in that is many of the people who complain about everything and want the Lake District preserved in aspic aren’t local anyway.

I’m watching, didn’t realise he died in his helicopter!

It feels like the same argument as Whinlatter. Now the forest is alive with such a huge cross section of society enjoying the outdoors. Well done Mark and his team for pushing the boundaries. There’s too many people still looking at the small picture. Trying to find reasons not to change and preserving the past whether good or bad.

Yeah ok, but on the site of an existing working slate mine with a big car park and a valley with a busy road running through it, they go on about how tranquil it is so it must be protected…..

In light of this point, I concede – what a stupid thing to argue against.

My last trip to lakes I felt a little out of place as I am not oriental..

Haven’t seen it yet. Mark Weir certainly had a different view and an eye for publicity. He turned himself into a media hero when the 2008 OMM was cancelled due to the bad weather.

According to the more gullible media he almost single-handedly saved countless lives. “We have come within inches of turning the Lake District mountains into a morgue”. If you talk to people who were there (I wasn’t), everyone got a bit wet, some even felt a bit miserable at times, but they were prepared. That’s why they turn up for these things. http://www.grough.co.uk/magazine/2008/10/26/all-back-safe-as-media-storm-follows-omm-weekend

Honister pass then:

Looks a mess to me.

But actually it’s a beautiful unspoilt tranquil wilderness.

Watched it and enjoyed it. I met the bloke a few years ago… very nice guy, and very driven. He took a right old punt when he bought the mine in the first place.

Agreed with Stever too… he made a right old meal of the OMM thing.

Cant see the issue with the zip wire myself. Have the actually shut down the Via Ferrata then or did they just fine them ?

Looks like the extension is disappearing in November.
http://www.honister-slate-mine.co.uk/via_ferrata_at_honister.asp

I thought at first after his confrontation with the two FOTLD people on the path up from the mine, that he was being a right c+ck (ahem).

However, given that the legendary A.W. himself mourned the loss of the working slate-tracks, which had been left to rot, I thought that a zipwire in addition to a working mine in the immediate area would be a good thing. Especially following a walk through the mines to get there. I’d have a go myself.

Now there’s just going to be more previously employed folks chucked on the dole queue (sorry, “Job Centre client base”) as the mine goes out of business. With the loss of the Via Ferrata they can’t afford to keep going. Tragic. And all for the sake of a bit of wire.