Built by the Romans and described by The Guardian as one of Britain's "most outrageous roads", Hardknott Pass is a 13-mile stretch between Boot and Ambleside in the Lake District. The single-track route features sharp hairpin bends and gradients as steep as 33%, making it a daunting prospect for even experienced drivers.
The road climbs 1,037ft in less than two miles, with a surface that constantly disintegrates and unguarded drops that fall hundreds of feet. Rainwater can pour down the middle like a mountain stream, and sheep often wander into the path, as the author discovered on a recent drive. At one point, a nonchalant sheep caused an emergency stop.
Opinion is divided over the pass. Greg Poole, who owns a holiday home nearby, said: "We put guests off from coming over Hardknott Pass," but added: "I love the drive. It's exciting, challenging, beautiful, sometimes scary but never boring." Peter Frost-Pennington, owner of Muncaster Castle, has driven the route hundreds of times and calls it "one of the most exciting and incredible roads to drive, cycle or walk in the whole world".
However, the Institute of Advanced Motorists advises caution. Spokeswoman Heather Butcher said: "Depending on the rider or driver's experience, it could be one to avoid. We don't recommend putting yourself or others in danger." Neil Graham, a communications officer for Cumbria Police, added: "People shouldn't seek out the road to challenge themselves."
The pass is also a formidable challenge for cyclists, with gradients exceeding those of the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia. A 2019 Eurosport documentary called England's Toughest Climb gave an "average" cyclist a six-week expert training regime, but he still failed to make it up the pass. For the author, the first experience was as a passenger with a team from the Royal Air Force heading for Scafell Pike.
