Honister Tramway - Coast to Coast Walk Feature
More Articles in the Ennerdale Bridge to Rosthwaite subsection
Honister Slate Slag next to the dismantled tramway
Misty Moisty Mountains - view to Dale Head
The old Honister Tramway forms a dramatic and memorable section of the Coast to Coast walk as it crosses the Lake District’s central spine. Once part of a narrow-gauge industrial railway serving the Honister slate mine, the dismantled tramway now provides a wide, level walking track linking the head of Ennerdale to Honister Pass. The Coast to Coast route follows its line from the Drum House above Dub’s Hut, curving gently across the open fellside below Grey Knotts and Fleetwith Pike. Despite its remote setting, the path is well-engineered and easy to follow — a rare moment of ease in otherwise rugged terrain.
Dale Head and Bell Crags
Taken from Grey Knotts in low cloud, this moody image looks ahead to the old Honister tramway, its embankment tracing a raised line through the mist. Behind it, the crags rise in layers—Bell Crags in the mid-ground, and the bulk of Dale Head looming faintly on the skyline. The atmosphere evokes the drama of Lakeland weather, with fading contours and subdued light enhanced in post-processing.
Glacial Geography at Honister Crag
Glacial Col
Honister Pass occupies a high col formed where glaciers eroded back from the valleys of Borrowdale and Buttermere, lowering the ridge between them.
Valley Deepening
Ice flowing through Borrowdale and Buttermere carved deep U-shaped troughs, leaving the pass as a comparatively narrow and steep-sided crossing point.
Structural Weakness
The pass follows lines of geological weakness within the volcanic rocks, which were exploited both by glacial erosion and later by quarrying.
Rock Basin Context
The nearby Buttermere and Derwentwater basins were overdeepened by ice, intensifying relief on either side of the pass.
Frost and Scree
Post-glacial freeze–thaw weathering has contributed to unstable slopes and loose rock above the road line.
Industrial Overlay
Honister Slate Mine developed where glacial stripping exposed workable slate seams, merging industrial heritage with glacial landform.
Honister Crag Black Star
The summit of Honister Crag is known as Black Star (634 m), a craggy subsidiary of Fleetwith Pike (648 m). Seen from the south, its slopes are a striking confusion of slate spoil and quarry scars. From the Coast to Coast path above Grey Knotts, Black Star is often glimpsed through mist, rising behind the tramway and slag heaps that mark the last efforts of Lakeland’s industrial past. The ridge path descends this spine from summit to Buttermere.
Fleetwith Pike and Honister Crag
From the southern shoulder of Grey Knotts, the eye is drawn across the spoil-strewn slopes to the paired summits of Fleetwith Pike (648 m) and Black Star (634 m), the latter crowning Honister Crag. The path of the old tramway, still visible across the lower slopes, marks the boundary between mountain and mine. Below, one of the Hopper Quarries clings to the flank, its slate scars etched into the fellside above Dubs Quarry.
Honister Crag Bothy
Dubs Quarry marks the eastern end of the dismantled Honister Tramway. Here, tucked among slate heaps on a levelling of Fleetwith Pike’s slope, stands a simple stone bothy. Inside, the furnishings are sparse — stone-flagged floor, plastered walls, a table and a few chairs — but it offers welcome shelter to passing walkers. Hikers often leave food, candles, or kindling for those who follow.. The Bothy overlooks Warnscale Beck.
The Drum House, Honister Tramway
From the slopes of Grey Knotts, the Coast to Coast path descends to meet the Honister Tramway at the Drum House — once the winding station for slate carts, now a silent stone foundation set amidst the high fells. Here, the route joins the level tramway bound for Honister.
The Cut: Passage Unbroken
Near the end of the dismantled Honister Tramway, the path narrows through a rock-hewn trench known as The Cut. This striking cleft was blasted to allow the tramway a smooth gradient, avoiding a steep climb over the protruding knoll. Today it requires a brief scramble and offers a dramatic passage through the slate.
Coast to Coast on the Old Tramway
Once a busy industrial trackway, the old Honister Tramway now guides Coast to Coast walkers gently across the southern slopes of Fleetwith. The route is clear and level, offering an easy stride with expansive views and a sense of passing through living history.
Coast to Coast at Honister Hause
Once on the old Honister Tramway, the path descends easily to Honister Hause, where the car park marks the end of the tramway track. From here, the Coast to Coast route follows the Honister Pass road briefly before turning off toward Seatoller and the Borrowdale valley.
Honister Crag Black Star
From the car park at Honister Hause, the dark northern face of Honister Crag — known as Black Star — looms above the Pass. A steep mining road cuts toward the summit, where slate-grey cliffs rise starkly against the yellowing grass of the lower slopes.
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