'Iron way' helps poor and isolated region climb economic ladder

In the misty mountains of Enshi in Central China's Hubei province, once isolated villages are buzzing with activity as adventure tourism turns steep cliffs into ladders of opportunity.

A driving force behind this transformation is "via ferrata", a form of assisted climbing along steel cables and footholds anchored into cliff faces.

"Via ferrata", Italian for "iron way", originated in the European Alps over a century ago and has found a growing number of enthusiasts in China. These thrilling climbing routes are now attracting large numbers of visitors to the dramatic karst landscapes of Enshi Tujia and Miao autonomous prefecture.