Hardknot Pass...

I've done this twice on my Honda Fireblade. Not for the faint hearted, especially the last western hairpin which is tight with a severe camber and the first time I did it was awash with water streaming across the road. :o
 
I was born in Kendal and before I was old enough to drive did Honister, Hardknott, Kirkstone etc with my father in his 1936 Morris 8 Tourer which was elderly back then. It had all of 23.5BHP so getting up them was a challenge. I passed my driving test in this car so as a new driver it made for an interesting experience. The advantage of the time was that the Lakes had nowhere near the amount of traffic it experiences now.

The last time I did Honister and Hardknott was in March 2014 so the traffic was pretty light. I also had a few more horse power! 😀
 

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Gosh Tinker! The things that were done back then :rofl: One of the forgotten passes is Newlands Pass. I have done this 4 times and both ways and I have continued to cack myself each time - 1991 my Toyota Corolla 1.3 hatch, 1992 my Mazda 323 1.3 hatch, 1994 my Citroen 2CV dolly and then more recently with my family in a 525d and that was almost enough. I will do my Zed in it once more for the theatricals (but only this time after a thorough brake service) and never again! Are there anymore death defying roads in Cumbria? :thumbsup:
 
rosskins said:
Gosh Tinker! The things that were done back then :rofl: One of the forgotten passes is Newlands Pass. I have done this 4 times and both ways and I have continued to cack myself each time - 1991 my Toyota Corolla 1.3 hatch, 1992 my Mazda 323 1.3 hatch, 1994 my Citroen 2CV dolly and then more recently with my family in a 525d and that was almost enough. I will do my Zed in it once more for the theatricals (but only this time after a thorough brake service) and never again! Are there anymore death defying roads in Cumbria? :thumbsup:
I went over the Newlands Hause Pass on May Bank Holiday last year in our Land Rover for the first time in years. Went from Bassenthwaite side south over to Buttermere. It's quite steep and narrow as it drops into Buttermere but it's nowhere near as steep and switchbacky as Hardknott. The kids loved it !
You ask if there are any more death defying roads in Cumbria ? Well there is. The road up to Great Dun Fell radar station across the Eden Valley on the edge of the Pennines. Twenty years ago I walked and mountain-biked up and down this road several times. Half way up it is a private road and becomes bridleway status but is asphalt all the way to the top. I have also driven up and down a few times...well it was quiet, nobody about and would've been rude not to ! The summit is almost 2800ft above sea level making it the highest road in Britain :thumbsup:
https://www.dangerousroads.org/europe/england/1461-great-dun-fell-england.html
 
bladeowner said:
I've done this twice on my Honda Fireblade. Not for the faint hearted, especially the last western hairpin which is tight with a severe camber and the first time I did it was awash with water streaming across the road. :o
Best corner on the pass going the other way. I had the MR nicely sideways around that one in the wet. The road was wet, not the weather : :D . We even had a few spectators egging us on sat uo on a rock.. :driving: :thumbsup:

Generaly the pass is a little too bumpy, to realy attack hard. Especially going east west. Prefer West to East. :D

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