Wrynose Pass

[S.Speed]

I took Vicky for a heck of a spin this afternoon through Wrynose Pass in the lake District.
For those who don't know that area its extremely steep (30% in parts) and twisty. Unbelievably its not a 1 way road either..
I haven't done it for years and I have to confess I did NOT actually enjoy it..
Car was getting very hot.. It smelt like burnt biscuits (Oil Temp was 123C)..
She behaved faultlessly but due to the amount of oncoming cars/ Vans I wont be doing it again in a hurry!!

 

[JML270]

Hardknott Pass also, Simon?
S**t myself the first time I did that in a BMW e39, 2nd time in an Aygo - no fear from other cars, being so narrow. 3rd time in the ML - doing the East side adverse camber switchback certainly tested the shocks and my vertigo!

The Roman fort is fascinating.

 

[Chrishazle]

I must look those 2 up - we were in the Lake District recently, did the Borrowdale / Honister Pass road and thought parts of that were pretty interesting (in the S204 C220).

Edit - knew I should have got a decent map instead of the satnav. Ambleside to Eskdale via those 2 passes would be epic, whereas Keswick - Honister was good but back to Keswick was quite tame!

 

[L John]

I've done it in a car (Citroen Xsara hatch) and several times on a motorbike, the bike is the most fun but nice in the car too.


Maybe you went at a busy time.

 

[BEJ]

That takes me back a bit. Haven't driven those two passes for a while. Another good drive is to go up Langdale and follow the road up to Blea Tarn and onwards from there.
Very narrow and steep in places with tight uphill hairpin bends.

 

[Malcolm Johnson]

Remember the first time i did that, it was one friday night in the the dark 2o years ago in Citroen xm. only realized how ****** stupid i was when i returned on the Sunday afternoon in daylight after the hike/camp weekend in wast water.
i now knew why the brakes stopped working Friday night half way down !!!!

 

[L John]

How many lakes are there in the Lake District?







Just one!
But which one is it?

 

[daveenty]

Glad you're still enjoying your motor Simon, keep meaning to go for a little pootle round in mine but just don't seem to have the time (or the weather) at the moment unfortunately.

How many lakes are there in the Lake District

Cheated here and Googled it, but would have got it wrong otherwise, especially as the lake in question has a name I'm not familiar with.

Have I heard this question before on QI possibly?

 

[47p2]

Hoping to cycle up these hills once I make a full recovery from my fractured T4 :grin:

 

[S.Speed]

Hoping to cycle up these hills once I make a full recovery from my fractured T4 :grin:

I saw several cyclists..
I honestly think you must be a masochist!
The cyclists I saw were obviously very fit and they certainly didn't look like they were enjoying the torture (I mean ride)..

 

[L John]

Cheated here and Googled it, but would have got it wrong otherwise, especially as the lake in question has a name I'm not familiar with.

Have I heard this question before on QI possibly?

I watch QI and can't remember it being on there but possibly.
A friend that lives there took a load of us on a motorbike ride over all the passes and told us a lot about the area that I never knew.

e.g Tarn Hows is a beautiful place and I always admired the 'natural beauty', it was a bit of a disappointment to find it's a man made lake.

 

[S.Speed]

I have been swimming in Tarn Hows many moons ago..
Gosh that brings back memories...

 

[st4]

I love that route, its incredible fun.

 

[Crazycarb]

In the summer, the lakes are beautiful, but in the winter can be a bit harsh. I used to run the cafe (now a house)that was on the side of the Kirkstone pass inn.
In the summer, I could stand in my garden area and look down on Windermere, Hawkshead and on a very clear day, right across to Morecambe bay. Visitors used to say to me, "Oh you are so lucky living up here", my reply was always "Try living up here in winter"!
I would have to go up on the fell quite frequently at daft oclock in freezing conditions to smash the ice, to keep the water from the beck flowing into my gravity fed water system (cleaned by ultra violet).
Often kick a wall of snow from my door before I could even get out. Mess about with the two generators in freezing conditions (no mains leccy). Latest owners have installed wind turbines and loads more.
I used to have coaches from shearings dropping tourists off for tea & cakes etc. and I used to recite this poem to them.

"If i were a lover, who loved a lass,
who lived at the top of the Kirkstone pass,
I swear by all thats true & tried
that whilst I abode in Ambleside,
To love her and love her for ever & ever,
but go up and see her, never oh never"!!!