Hardknott Pass

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RedBike

New Member
Location
Beside the road
ColinJ said:
Now that really worries me, given what I saw you riding down on our MTB ride last year... How bad must it be! :sad:


Unfortunately when I rode it there was a lot of traffic (stop/start) and the trailer was trying to take a slightly quicker more direct route down than is advisable.

Fearing that I was going to end up off a cliff or under a car I chickened out and pushed.
 

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
RedBike said:
Unfortunately when I rode it there was a lot of traffic (stop/start) and the trailer was trying to take a slightly quicker more direct route down than is advisable.

Fearing that I was going to end up off a cliff or under a car I chickened out and pushed.
Ah, yes - that combination of very steep/traffic/trailer wouldn't be one that I'd relish either!
 

Fiona N

Veteran
I've 'ridden' it a couple of times - once doing the Fred Whitton after the actual event but as a two day tour on my Speedmachine. I got to that point where I was balanced on a not-very-metaphorical knife-edge - unable to push the pedals hard enough to progress and without enough room to weave across the road but not wanting to just keel over sideways as there was no chance of getting a foot down - gravity won :smile:

The funniest encounter was actually when I was driving across for a climbing weekend with mates camping at Wasdale Head. At the time I had a MGF sports car and really enjoyed throwing it around on a quiet Thursday afternoon on the drive over. But driving up Hardknott I caught up with a high boxy 4WD driven with such excessive caution I thought the driver must have some problem other than the road. And the descent was even worse. Every turn he (as it turned out) stopped as if to survey the possibilities then manoevered down as if on a cliff. I don't think he ever noticed the small white car behind and I hate to imagine what would have happened had there been any upcoming traffic as he was very much taking the whole road. At some stage I got past and shot off but at the campsite that evening I recognised the car and struck up a conversation with the driver and his wife. Now I've seen some dreadful (read: unused to hills, let alone mountain passes) driving in the Alps by Dutch tourists (e.g. with caravans on narrow roads clearly marked NO CARAVANS) but this was slow and painful even by Dutch but the guy came from Devon - and wasn't an OAP by any means - he said he just couldn't get used to not seeing the road ahead.
So the moral is don't tackle Wrynose and Hardnott in high, long-bonneted 4WDs - a low nippy sports car is much better for your nerves :biggrin:
 

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
So 39 x 24 not a good idea then......:smile: :smile:

Done Honister in the car from the Mine side, that was tricky - blooming narrow.

How does it compare to Winnats......?
 
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