Welcome to Honister!
Welcome to Honister, a unique award winning experience and Englands last remaining working slate mine.
"Honister is owned by a local family and is a supporter of The Lake District Community, Economy & The Environment. Every penny you spend at Honister remains in the local community and helps support a future for our young people." Mark Weir - Mine Owner.

You'll be amazed who you may bump into at Honister. Click here to see more!
A big warm welcome to Honister from Martin - our Factory Manager (him off Trinny & Susannah!). "Face the view or view the face!" (41seconds)
 Located at the head of the Honister Pass in the centre of the Lake District, we produce the world famous Westmorland Green– a beautiful, functional material that has been extracted here for centuries.
Our slate is 400 Million years old!
Within our visitor centre, you’ll find a wealth of activities, attractions and information. Enjoy a guided underground tour or if your looking for something abit more demanding then you could try our Via Ferrata, stroll through our picturesque stone garden and examine an array of wonderful slate gifts. We have live displays of traditional slate processing skills which you will see on the FREE Working Factory Trail, these provide a fascinating insight into the region’s industrial heritage.
Why not try Honisters'
"All Day Package"Mine Tour, lunch plus Via Ferrata all at a very special price! For more information click here!
Planning a whole day visit to Borrowdale? Seatoller Barn Visitor Information Point (V.I.P) In Partnership with Cumbria Tourism "Local people providing local information" 017687 77714
And of course, as a working mine, we also sell slate to trade customers and DIY enthusiasts alike. So if you’re calling in, why not take advantage of our ever popular "fill ya boot" deal? Take as much slate as you can fit in your boot for just 10.00! Take care going down hill, which ever way you go!
 
We also provide a bespoke service and will be delighted to discuss any ideas or suggestions you may have which we may translate into slate on your behalf. We enjoy working on and supplying slate for the unusual!
Honister slate has been engraved by Andrew Williams
Whatever the season and whatever your interest, Honister is a totally unique experience, combining adventure and recreation with an unforgettable glimpse into the skills and lifestyles of yesteryear. Come with your family and see for yourselves why we were voted Tourist Attraction of the Year.
If you can’t visit us in person, you can still see many of our delightful slate gift ideas in our on-line shop. Buy on-line or via mail order. Pertaining to cheese! We all know cheese is best stored in waxed paper, but did you know slate is one of the best surfaces for serving it? Michelin-starred chefs Gordon Ramsey and Martin Wishart think so and use slate platters in their restaurants.
'Slate enhances the texture and flavour because it lets the cheese breathe,' says owner Donny Carstairs. It keeps the cheese cool, he adds, as well as being a clean, hygienic surface for serving - and look fantastic.
Check out our cheese boards in our online shop. One of the finest hotels in The Lake District "The Samling" exclusively uses Honister Slate to serve their superb cheeses.

To hear fascinating and entertaining stories of Honister's history simply, click here! with Joan Armstrong on BBC Radio Cumbria
BBC Radio Cumbria Bus
Matt Baker "Open Country" BBC Radio 4
 For a fascinating insight into the amazing history behind Honister's sad decline and being brought back to life as Englands only working slate mine,
click here
- Matt Baker BBC Radio 4 "Open Country" (30 minutes)
THE BIG BANG!!!How long before she blows! The BIG BANG at Honister. Watch and listen to this amusing clip 30 seconds before she blows! (59 seconds)
Honister now has a New Sky Hi Cafe click here to see more!
For Honister's downloadable leaflet click here! For Honister's downloadable poster click here!
Honister is grateful to Brian Sherwen. To view Brian Sherwen's website click here and Stuart Bell - Lakes & Cumbria Today email: stuartdbell@yahoo.co.uk for their stunning photography.
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