Lake District Bowder Stone ladder set to be replaced
- Published
The proposed ladder at the Bowder Stone would replace one installed in the 1980s
A huge rock dubbed "one of the strangest" Lake District attractions is getting an upgrade.
Visitors to the Bowder Stone, external, near Keswick, can climb atop the boulder via a wooden ladder installed in the 1980s.
But the set of steps has "reached the end of its lifespan", said the National Trust, which has applied for permission to install a metal replacement.
The rock is said to be the height of six people and is thought to weigh 1,253 tonnes.
It found popularity as a tourist attraction during the Victorian era, when people flocked to marvel at the geological wonder.
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The proposed 30.5ft (9.3m) ladder would be made by Cumbrian architectural and sculptural metalworker Chris Brammel.
Curator Harvey Wilkinson said: "We're restoring the excitement of a visit to one of the strangest and once most famous Lake District attractions.
"If approved, we expect the new ladder to be in place next spring so there's now a rare opportunity to take a photo of the stone without its ladder."
The National Trust bought the stone in 1910 through public subscription.
The stone became popular with tourists during the Victorian era