One of the areas largest slate workings are found on Dale Head (Yew Crag) & on Fleetwith Pike (Honister Crag). In fact Fleetwith is penetrated by many levels, these being connected by two internal inclines (known as the Honister (old) & the Kimberley (new) Incline). Where the mine levels on the Honister incline exit into daylight onto Honister crag they are also linked by several external inclines that cuts a diagonal tract across the face of the crag. These are known as the Bull Gill Incline, Nag Beck Incline & the Ash Beck Incline. Access to these inclines was via a road way (called the Monkey Shelf) where they could be used to climb Honister Crag exiting not too far from the summit of Fleetwith Pike. The only place where the incline could not be followed was where it crossed Bull Gill (the bridge had collapsed) but by going underground and climbing the old incline where you could exit back onto the external incline.
Nowadays Honister Crag & incline is now a via ferrata & run as a tourist attraction. The pictures are scanned from old photos, so please excuse the quality.
The upper terminal pier of the aerial ropeway at the foot of the Bull Gill incline...
