Americans React: Hardknott & Wrynose Pass - UK's Most Dangerous Road?

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In this video, we react to a first person drive of Hardknott Pass and Wrynose Pass in the Lake District. This is the first time seeing this side of England and it is absolutely beautiful. Join us as we witness Peter taking this incredible UK drive that is both stunning and challenging. Both Wrynose and Hardknott Passes are known to be amongst the most difficult and dangerous roads in the UK and we can see why.
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👉 Original Video:
• Hardknott & Winrose pa...
"Garden Music"
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
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[@Lloyd-Franklin]

The wave is a way to say thank you for letting them pass.

[@ArsenaISarah]

We have a special wave when they don’t 🖕🏼

[@dukedex5043]

Also considered rude to not wave if someone lets you pass

[@steddie4514]

It's an acknowledgement 🙂👍

[@Sir.T]

Yeah I always wave. Just basic politeness.

[@petercresswell5402]

Raised finger if your local 😉

[@katebatt7538]

The Lakeland fells only look like they do because the whole area is grazed. Without grazing it would rapidly grow bracken and scrubby trees. The area has been farmed in this fashion since the Bronze Age. The sheep you saw are a special, local, and very ancient breed called Herdwicks. They are extremely hardy and perfectly adapted to living out on the fells, which they do year round. The cattle you saw are Belted Galloways, a Scottish breed which is equally hardy. Though I think they are usually brought down into the valleys in winter.

[@johnholdstock8922]

When he said theres a cow with a cloth over it i think it was the belt on the beltie

[@stevewesley3841]

I had to go over the hard knot pass a few years ago, I came off my BMW motorbike and was flipped over the edge. I fell about 20ft, and my 279 kilo BMW landed on top of me. It smashed my AVG helmet and broke several ribs. The recovery costs were so expensive that I never got my motorbike back. I still consider myself lucky to be alive though

[@alexkeyes-hk6vp]

I don't know if americans have this but when we wave when driving it's to say "thank you" and on this sort of road everyone is going to be doing this all the time.

[@reactingtomyroots]

Yes, we do! Generally in the more southern states or rural areas. :)

[@GusMac6129]

It is technically illegal. However, It's unlikely the police would charge you if caught.

[@humbledividendinvestor]

​@@GusMac6129I passed my test last November and thanked a driver for giving way then asked my examiner if I shouldn't have done that and he said it's fine aslong as you maintain control of the vehicle

[@GusMac6129]

@@humbledividendinvestor Your examiner is wrong. Taking your hand off the steering wheel to wave, is an offence. If spotted by the police, then they have the right by law to book you for it, however it would be very rare to be stopped for it. Keeping one's hand on the steering wheel, and be able to use one's fingers as a sort of wave, is what your examiner is probably saying is fine. Source, former traffic police. If you do not believe me, google it.

[@UKCougar]

@@GusMac6129 No it isn't.

[@simonmeadows7961]

The national park designation is very different in the UK than it is in the US. Much of our national parks are privately owned - often farmland,, but the area is protected by government statute. So if you want to build anything inside a national park (or the next step down, an area of outstanding natural beauty - AONB) you will have extra layers of bureaucracy to overcome, to ensure that anything you do is in keeping with the character of the area.

[@baronmeduse]

Much of that land is 'common land' and not all privately owned.

[@shabingly]

@@baronmeduse Most common land in England & Wales is still privately owned though. It's just the landowners have restricted rights and the commoners have other certain rights. Its all generally complicated & confusing, but "public land" in England & Wales basically boils down to some city parks, School playing fields and that's about it.

[@jjwtj95]

The designations restrict building, but they also restrict the ability to make the landscapes more nature and wildlife focused. Rather they are kept in a Victorian sheep farmed stasis

[@vaudevillian7]

I’ve tried to explain this on quite a few of the videos but I think it usually gets missed, hopefully they see this one as is quite key difference

[@James-hd6ez]

​@@shabinglyThe Lake District is the most beautiful place in England, Wales is also beautiful and its hills can be seen from Liverpool, we holidayed on a farm in North Wales as children and it was brilliant although the people are not the friendliest especially to the English which is totally understandable given the history 😮 and though the sheep aren't scared of the roads they are petrified of the locals!😅 only Joking!

[@Emily-J25]

You really should look at more videos on the Lake District, it's a beautiful area. It's the largest national park in England there are lakes of course but probably most famous is Lake Windermere, There are also some lovely towns & villages including Ambleside, Keswick, Grasmere, Windermere & Hawkshead plus nearby Kendal. English Author Beatrix Potter of the childrens books Peter Rabbit lived there and loved the area so much she helped to preserve some of the landscape from being bought and developed on, she left 4,000 acres & 15 farms to the national trust when she died. There is the World of Beatrix Potter attraction in Bowness-on-Windermere.

[@ArsenaISarah]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4mQdHSofbx4eKcsi=6J7kn_293La0OKbF

[@reactingtomyroots]

We definitely will!

[@paulguise698]

Sophia will love it

[@theah5824]

And there’s the pencil museum! I loved that as a child.

[@helenc1693]

@@theah5824 Been dragged round the pencil museum many times, every time we went to the lakes it was raining so my parents would take us to the pencil museum

[@Micamicamico]

Fun fact about the national districts here in england: The lake district has more peaks than the peak district, and the peak district has more lakes than the lake district.

[@101steel4]

It's a bit like Greenland and Iceland 😂

[@DomingoDeSantaClara]

The Lake District apparently only has one lake, all the others are called something else which name escapes me atm, technically they aren't lakes.

[@petercresswell5402]

@@DomingoDeSantaClara Bassenthwaite. The rest are Meres Waters Tarns etc. Windermere not Lake Windermere, it's a bit like say Lake Loch Ness ,👍😉

[@DomingoDeSantaClara]

@@petercresswell5402 that's it! Thanks, I'm only a stones throw from Bassenthwaite so I should know all that, age, memory etc

[@reactingtomyroots]

haha, that's pretty ironic!

[@robertmortimer4837]

It's not dangerous, nothing moves fast enough to make it dangerous. These are awesome places to drive.

[@paulhenman9907]

The gates are cattle grids to keep the sheep and cows from escaping,

[@robertlonsdale5326]

The gates are when cattle grid are on the road. The sheep have no fear of traffic and usually keep off the road except to cross.

[@tonys1636]

They often stand or lay on a road to get warm, tarmac heats up quicker than grass.

[@AlBarzUK]

I’ve driven on a similar road on a cold, bright day. We stopped for a snack and photo or two and when we returned to the car there was a sheep rubbing itself against the radiator grill. No respect! 😅

[@peterbrown1012]

The gates take you from an enclosed space to an open space where animals roam free, the grid stops hooved animals from walking out, and there can be a gate to one side to allow horses to pass.

[@martynadams2011]

I’ve driven this road and never spent so much time in first gear in my life !

[@blackbob3358]

Bet you wer'nt in a Reliant Robin, Martyn lad ! That's my claim to fame. 1974, warm day. I thought the little chap was gonna catch afire. Had to stop to let it cool down at the top of the Duddon valley. Happy days.

[@andyjdhurley]

I did it once in a mini (80s model), which fun, and I will be doing again next week when we visit but I'll be in my Vitara then so don't expect any drama.

[@martinwatts4214]

doesn't look remotely dangerous or difficult - you should try some od the Welsh and Scottish borders and forests - this looks positively a pleasure

[@keithparker5103]

Went over both passes in the early '60s in an 850 cc Mini, it really struggled. Went over again during the' 70s in a 1275 cc Cooper S. It pissed it. Never been back though, something I'll have to rectify.

[@bmc9504]

Was you in a Rover Metro?

[@Rachel-em4me]

The reason there are very few trees and bushes is that grazing animals eat the vegetation, seeds and shrubs before they get chance to grow , so it leaves the land quite bare 😊

[@blackbob3358]

T'was all wooded at one time, Rachel. The trees went for firewood, apparently, as there used to be a lot more people working on the land, back yonder. Used for heating the dwellings. I think in the eastern parts there were lime kilns, too.

[@christopherlogan2903]

One of the big reasons the UK was deforested was to make charcoal for steel and iron production in the early middle ages. King Henry the 8th had to import a lot of trees from Europe to build their big ships. Also all the sheep has stopped any growing back

[@petercresswell5402]

@@blackbob3358 lime kilns all of the places where we live on the edge of the Eden Valley

[@xm7ld]

As a local, if you are coming downhill please give way to those coming uphill - it's a nightmare to try to do a hill start on a 20\30% gradient

[@sharonmartin4036]

In cars with manual gearboxes, yes. Most of USA drivers are used to automatic gearboxes, so they wouldn't understand this difficulty.

[@dinger40]

Spinning tyres or stalling, been there done that, got the T shirt. Lived in Barrow in the 80's and my Sister had a guesthouse in Windermere village.

[@susansmiles2242]

That is actually a rule in the Highway Code (or it was when I took my test)

[@peterturner8766]

@@susansmiles2242 Rule 155!

[@cookiesroblox6759]

Farmers normally spray there Sheep with a coloured dye so they know which sheep belong to them.. we have a lot of sheep in the UK

[@karenblackadder1183]

It has nothing to do with ownership. Most farmers have a few tups. Each tup wears a harness carrying a different colour rudd. When a tup mates a yow, the colour transfers to her backside, ergo the farmer knows the parentage of all subsequent lambs.

[@monicawarner4091]

​@@karenblackadder1183 • That's true, but in addition to that, each farmer marks his or her sheep with a particular colour.

[@hetrodoxlysonov-wh9oo]

@@karenblackadder1183 We do mark the sheep so we can tell who the sheep belong to, The raddling is just to show the ewe as been mounted the identification colour, number or letter is permanent die that doesn't come off until sheared.

[@dee2251]

We call those tiny town villages and we call creeks brooks; babbling brooks specifically, because of the sound made as the brook goes overs the stones. At lot of our countryside was deforested for farming. Sheep are usually marked on their fleece with a paint, denoting which farmer owns the sheep.

[@adriangoodrich4306]

Nope. Up here in Northern England - including the Lake District - we call them "Becks". Further north again, as you approach the Scottish border, they become burns.

[@Millennial_Manc]

14:18 It’s probably a hamlet - smaller than a village and doesn’t have its own church. Quite a few in rural areas.

[@pjlightning1995]

The higher you are, the fewer the trees. I hiked over those mountains one year and looked down on a plane flying in the valley below me.

[@craig3782]

The lake district is stunning

[@TanyaRando]

My friends mum lived off a hill road, and was driving into town, and someone coming the other way refused to back up, and gave her a load of abuse, despite it being easier for him to do, so she got out of the car, locked up, and walked back home, and had a cup of tea, just leaving the car there, til later. These roads are great, until it rains, and it rains a LOT over here. Some of the roads in Scotland, in the coastal North, are what if say weren't the easiest lol, beautiful and breathtaking, but definitely not easy.

[@no-oneinparticular7264]

😂😂 well done to her

[@gillfox9899]

Very done the same thing when a man in a 4x4 tried to intimidate me. I would have had to reverse nearly 200 feet whereas he only needed to go back about 10 feet. I got out of my car, locked it and walked past his car to apologise to the cars stuck behind him for him being such an idiot. Didn't have to wait very long for him to reverse

[@poppletop8331]

This video does not do those two passes justice...especially Hardnott pass, the elevation of that road is absolutely crazy. I nearly 💩💩💩 myself travelling along them on the same day. I'm pleased my husband was driving. I made him take a different route on the way back to the house we were staying in.😆 Love your reactions.💗

[@debbee0867]

I think it is scarier as a passenger as you are looking over the edge at times.

[@reactingtomyroots]

haha yeah, I imagine it would be more intense in person!

[@user-ke1vk5jf9r]

I agree - you cannot see how steep some sections are as the camera is fixed, so the road appears fairly flat. I tried Hardnott pass in a Morris Traveller about 40 years ago and had to chicken out half way up - turning round to go down was problematic and the car was not powerful enough to pull away going up the slope.

[@Lottie628]

It’s years since we drove up it. I think the gradient was 1:3 and mostly 1st and 2nd gear, at times you didn’t know which direction the road was going to go until you reached the brow of the hill. I hated it and like many insisted we went back to our holiday home via a different route.

[@Rhianalanthula]

Prior to my stroke, I'd drive over Winnets Pass to get to Sheffield to see the in-laws. Sometimes, we'd use Snake Pass if we'd been seeing my husband's godparents. These are often closed in winter when there's snow, so I'd go via Stoney Middleton.

[@katiperry8533]

Those markers are to show you 1; how deep the snow is 2; where the road is 😂

[@Scotia1990]

Same at the Rest and Be Thankful...

[@geoffmelvin6012]

I remember in my 20s walking from Ambleside over both of these passes whilst carrying about 24kg in my bergen. It was a very long, very hot and very tiring day with a few well earned pints in the evening. You didn't see lakes because that video was travelling over 2 mountain passes.... The Lake District is beautiful. Used to love walking and camping up there, sometimes wild camping.

[@barrysteven5964]

I just spent four days in a cottage in the Lake District really off the beaten track not far from a road like this. It is so beautiful but it's especially moving to hear people from another country talking about it in such glowing terms. I got quite emotional.

[@margaretphare3157]

Waving is raising the hand to say thank you for giving way and everyone does it across the country

[@KirkhamWesham]

I wish everyone did do. There's some ignorant gits on the road! 😉

[@caitlyn9391]

I've lived in the lake district for over 30 years and would never leave. It's a beautiful part of the UK. I've been over hard knot pass many times on motorcycle and car. Whenever family come to visit they want a guided tour. But I love to show them as I never get bored of the beauty of the lakes and fells

[@boothy201]

It's been decades since I last drove through both of the passes. In a clapped out 2CV6. That was a real struggle, but great fun.

[@helenwood8482]

The cows and sheep live there. They are contained on individual farmers' land using cattle grids and the dry stone walls (so called because nothing is used to secure the stones in place). In the UK, the government does not own Nationsl Parks. Rather, there are rules I place for what can be done within their borders. For example, new buildings within national parks are highly restricted and must be built in the style of the buildings already there. The Cumbrian hills are perfect for sheep and you find them everywhere. When we left the area to live in Cheshire, my sister, who was 8 or 9 said, "I don't like Cheshire. There are no sheep on the roads." This video brings back happy memories. We loved that road with all the sheep wandering across it. An important part of driving in the UK is remembering that sheep always have right of way and could appear virtually anywhere.

[@Volkuth]

The Lake District is amazing to cycle around.

[@reactingtomyroots]

You'd definitely get a good workout in :)

[@rjmac3095]

Around 5000 years ago, about 95% of the UK was forested, it's now around 13%. This is due partly to logging and partly due to grazing preventing new trees from growing. As a result there are places that are completely devoid of trees that used to be forest, but between grazing and harsh weather conditions, the trees can't repopulate the areas as there aren't enough trees to shelter them to allow them to grow. I don't know about the lake district, but the moors in Devon and Cornwall are famously devoid of trees, but they used to be fully forested.

[@timmitchell6799]

I blame "sheepocalypse" - deforesting and then a handful of sheep can keep slow-growing upland vegetation down to grass only. The famous Cat & Fiddle pub high in the peak district surrounded by open moorland was built as a pub for local foresters who were unfortunately very successful at their job. Sheep should be on the lowlands where a far smaller area can support them, and these upland should be reforested, leaving just the top of the fells clear of trees.

[@tonybmw5785]

The Valley the driver is dropping into is Little Langdale, just over the hill from where I live, and the area has been inhabited for about eight thousand years, we have a very hardy breed of sheep called the Herdwick which can survive on the fells all year round. The Lakes are a very popular for hill/mountain hiking area. Most of the cars you see are tourist vehicles, as the area has become very much dependent on the holiday makers today.

[@kgbgb3663]

The Herdwicks are traditionally "hefted", which means that they know where their home is and don't wander off too far. It saves a lot on walls! Each generation teaches the next; it's very difficult for humans to specify to the sheep where is to be considered "home". When those idiots at UCL (the ones who came up with the hyper-alarmist predictions about that human illness in 2020 that got us all locked up) were in charge of the response to foot-and-mouth disease, they wanted to eliminate the entire sheep population of the area, which would have made it very hard to re-establish the hefted flocks.

[@eldescanso2067]

I'm lucky to be born and bred in Cumbria, home of the Lake District National Park and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else, it is spectacular.

[@furnessborn]

I agree being a fellow Cumbrian :D

[@juliecowen3641]

Me too

[@vickytaylor9155]

Not born there, but spent every school holiday there and right up until 10 years ago when I became too disabled to travel. It is my favourite place to go in the entire world. There are Lakes, meres and tarns there too plus the highest mountain in England.

[@dianajones5708]

Planning on moving to Cumbria in the next few years. It is our favourite place. Always feels like home whenever we’re there.

[@cheryltotheg2880]

You’re very lucky meanwhile I was born and bred in Edgware in the London borough of Barnet wanna swap ?😂😂😂

[@DomingoDeSantaClara]

I was up Hardknot pass yesterday! It was thick with fog and very slow going.

[@Spacepen2002]

My brother lives in Boot which is in the Eskdale Valley, you could consider it the Gateway to the Hardnott Pass. I’ve lost count how many times I’ve driven over the Pass while driving over to Ambleside and Windermere and you never get tired of the amazing views. Wrynose Pass is a continuation of Hardnott Pass and the drive along the Valley Floor, between the two passes, is beautiful to see. I’ll stand corrected but I believe the Valley’s in the area were formed during the ice age hence the rocky outlook and the lack of trees. You were also asking about the Cattle and Sheep and where they came from, I know there are many farms in the Area, many if not all of which, belong to the National Trust. These Farms are leased out by families that have probably been living in the area for generations. I’ve left the UK and I’m now retired in Thailand, your reaction video helped take me home for a brief moment and some great memories came flooding back. Thank you for that 🙏

[@JohnBeeblebrox]

I go camping in Boot at least once a year. Great place, a bit off the beaten tourist track. Three decent pubs to spend the evenings in.

[@mmcbey1401]

I made this trip a lot of years ago and plan to do so again next year. If you try it, just don't rush and where you can, watch ahead for traffic approaching. With care it is do-able and in decent weather, the scenery is fantastic.

[@kaydavis2310]

I've gone through Snake Pass (A57) travelling from Manchester to Sheffield. It was nerve wrecking but absolutely beautiful experience.

[@Millennial_Manc]

12:44 I think our drystone walls are one of Britain’s most remarkable engineering feats. Some are 4000 / 5000 yr old. No mortar and no metal… just a pile of rocks perfectly chosen and assembled. Shame so few people have the skills to maintain them now. They primarily have the same function they always did- to mark out boundaries of land ownership, but some are to keep livestock in a particular area for grazing or keep them off the roads. To be honest, I’ve driven up much more scenic roads than that. It’s a bit barren for me even ignoring the lack of trees. There are beautiful scenes in Wales eg around Bala, Snowdonia National Park, island of Anglesey, and some in England in Northumberland National Park. I imagine there are some in Scotland but I’ve never really driven up there myself. Depends what you like though… I like water of some sort and I’m a sucker for a valley full of mist.

[@angeladormer6659]

There is also Dartmoor Nation Park, Peak District National Park, North York Moors, Cotswolds, and so many others. This Island Nation is so picturesque in so many places. You will have to see the beauty before it all disappears into Housing Estates. Trees grow where they can. You did not see the remains of the Roman remains going so fast. When you see the majestic beauty of our countries on this island and the Emerald Isle you will realise why we are so proud.❤❤👵🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🌹🌹

[@Millennial_Manc]

@@angeladormer6659 It’s not going to disappear into housing estates… you can’t even farm on most of it let alone viable to build on it. That’s the issue they’re having in Wales. The government is demanding they plant trees on 20% of their land or whatever the figure is, but many of them only have 20/30% of their entire land that’s suitable for farming or growing trees, which would mean planting trees on their small bit of land that can be used.

[@angeladormer6659]

@Millennial_Manc I was being ironic. My beautiful little part of England has lost so many farms to housing, roads, rail lines and industrial estates. Flood planes have been built on. Any trees planted ? Only on private cemeteries. Our farmers were forced to have bigger fields to accommodate the machinery losing hedges walls and ditches and now we regularly get floods.

[@Millennial_Manc]

@@angeladormer6659 Destroying our natural flood defences which have stood the test of time for hundreds of years is so self-destructive.

[@MiningForPies]

@@Millennial_Manctrees will grow anywhere, the whole of the UK was forested in the past.

[@no-oneinparticular7264]

They're going fast because you have it on 1.5 speed, Lyndsey 😂. Cows are free roaming, but are normally put in sheds in winter. Sheep are free roaming too.

[@w0033944]

Tenant farmers, I'd imagine?

[@no-oneinparticular7264]

​@@w0033944 yes, correct .

[@Will-nn6ux]

I think they’re still approaching those blind bends a bit too fast.

[@sharonmartin4036]

@@Will-nn6ux Depends if you drive those roads often or not. Familiarity breeds contentedness, in this case (not contempt, lol.).

[@tivvy-xf4kz]

@@Will-nn6ux The video not on normal speed . Someone else said it's on 1.5 speed.

[@albertnightingale2804]

The bare look of the mountains (called Fells ) is due to the constant grazing of the roaming sheep a feature of nearly all Fells in the lake district .

[@vickytaylor9155]

Cows and sheep are all owned, but sometimes you can see sheep on the road. Beatrix Potter left the land she owned to the national trust. Our cottage overlooks a mountain called the old man of coniston. The trees are mostly self seeding, helped by the sheep. The sheep breed with grey wool and white heads are called Herdwick.

[@bun6758]

hope this helps National parks of the United Kingdom (Welsh: parciau cenedlaethol; Scottish Gaelic: pàircean nàiseanta) are areas of relatively undeveloped and scenic landscape across the country. Despite their name, they are quite different from national parks in many other countries, which are usually owned and managed by governments as protected community resources, and which do not usually include permanent human communities. In the United Kingdom, an area designated as a national park may include substantial settlements and human land uses that are often integral parts of the landscape. Land within national parks remains largely in private ownership. These parks are therefore not "national parks" according to the internationally accepted standard of the IUCN[1] but they are areas of outstanding landscape where planning controls are a little more restrictive than elsewhere.

[@angelahawman4263]

Very touristy. Seven of my work colleagues all bumped into each other in The Lake District, "getting away from everything" one Easter. But beautiful, I went in Autumn.🍂

[@claregale9011]

Hi Guys , we always put a hand up or nod as a gesture of thanks for someone letting you pass . We are always doing it as our rds are narrow compared to the US , love a tree too Lindsay . 😊

[@judithwilson3561]

The sheep are a special tough breed called Herdwicks, they know their own patch and don't wander off, each farmer has a different colour marking. In winter snow the passes are often closed by snow drifts and ice. The poles on the side of the road are depth markers for snow.

[@syrac07]

Exactly what I was going to say - Herdwicks are hardy fell sheep and are hefted to the land. So the ewes basically pass on to the lambs where their territory is and thus they don’t need to be watched by shepherds. Farmers will usually lug mark (cut in the ear) and/or smit mark (coloured dye marks on fleece) to identify their livestock, and these have been recognised for generations, but these days all sheep have to have chips too.

[@2busaman]

You want to have a look at The New Forrest. There are horses roaming about over the roads through there.

[@lornaclayton2697]

There are no trees because it is so windy and cold they cannot survive. The white poles are road markers for times when the snow is very deep. None of the sheep and cows are wild. They all belong to local farmers. Love your videos. I live on the eastern side of the Pennines in Yorkshire.

[@etherealbolweevil6268]

Also grazing nips off any fresh growth of seedlings.

[@baronmeduse]

It's mostly due to clearing for agriculture and the realbolweevil says grazing halts new growth.

[@Alan_Clark]

Without the sheep there would be plenty of trees - there are forestry plantations, so the climate is not the problem. Sheep are the reason that it is so bleak and barren.

[@alexmckee4683]

It's a bit of both. The climate was colder in the 19th century which killed a lot of trees. It is also still too cold at those heights for many species of trees such as oaks and beeches. Ash and alder are hardier but also still vulnerable to the cold weather so can be killed in cold snaps. Larches and other trees more suited to colder climates are naturally present, e.g. Scots pine is found quite commonly at altitude in the Lake District. However these species are very prone to wind damage and cannot long survive in exposed areas. So the highly exposed sides of the fells are naturally bare of trees. There would be considerable regeneration in mild years, and low-growing shrubby willow, hazel, alder and birch but the sheep strip these so they also aren't present.

[@RileyELFuk]

At one of those scary, narrow, uphill parts, we had a shock when an arrogant driver coming downhill, didn't give way at the passing point and caused my dad to stall the car, which had him desperately trying to reverse to the edge of a drop. It was also the first time I heard my dad use a whole bunch of unrepeatable words in front of me and my brother (we were under 10 years old).

[@dianajones5708]

People don’t understand the rules of theses roads. You should always give way to vehicles coming up. Common sense is lacking with many people unfortunately.

[@andrewwmacfadyen6958]

Vehicles coming DOWN have priority because they take longer to stop especially in slippery conditions

[@andrewwmacfadyen6958]

The driver coming down has right of way

[@RileyELFuk]

@@andrewwmacfadyen6958 Certainly not when they aggressively drive past a passing point when there's a car almost at the top, before the bend he's coming around. He was a dangerous arsehole, pure and simple, coming right around a blind bend with a passing point at the top. The prick was driving at speed, like he thought he was rallying. From our perspective, we had a clear climb and were 3/4 of the way up, before he almost hit us.

[@DH.2016]

@@andrewwmacfadyen6958 Rule 155 of the UK Highway Code says that you should give way on single track roads to road users coming uphill whenever you can.

[@marksmith1466]

I cycled through the lakes,taking in both of these passes as part of my ride from inverness to Birmingham. Incredibly beautiful.

[@Londoneye57]

The markers you mentioned are posts to show where the edge of the road is when all is covered in snow they also record the depth of the snow. The Lake District is a national park with private farms within the park.

[@gteaz]

The gates on the roads are not gates but cattle grids, the grids have slits that allow cattle feet to fall through the gaps in the slits preventing the cattle crossing land.

[@7his7le7ea]

I'd recommend watching 'scotland's secret rainforest' great photography in that one

[@katebatt7538]

Hardknott pass is one of my favourite places. On a nice summer evening, once most of the other tourists have gone, it's great to drive halfway up, then walk to the ruins of the Roman fort, and watch the sun go down over the Eskdale valley. Magical place. I used to walk up all the way, but I have Lupus and can't hike like I used to.

[@dafyddrhobert2414]

I lived in the Lake District for a while when I was a student. Even in the winter, there were hordes of tourists. One interesting thing I found was that the parking charges were increased during the main tourist season. The lack of trees in the fells is not only because of the rocky ground but the altitude too.

[@Badlybehavedrobot]

No trees because of sheep. Sheep really make the british hills/mountains what they are today. Historically (1000 years ago) this would have been forested. In UK national parks (like this) are privately owned - hence sheep, cows, etc...but there's a right to roam, and lots of public footpaths (that are older than the national park by 100s or 1000s of years).

[@heathermurray9939]

Kirkstone pass in the lake district Cumbria England is a very step road, when it snows the road is blocked.

[@jontuson2078]

Crashed my push bike at over 50mph on the drop down there to Glenridding and dislocated my shoulder.

[@PolarBear4]

The Kirkstone Pass feels like one of the easier passes in the Lakes. Coming down (or up) The Struggle on the other hand... that can be a bit dicey.

[@wrghty]

Done this route many times and absolutely love the Lake District

[@watcher24601]

The mountains would have been forested originally, large areas where cleared during the iron age from around 400BC for farming, fuel and building. What was left was cleared further for ship building and to fuel industry. Very little of the UK is covered by trees, except for a few managed tree plantations grown as a crop.

[@marmite1076]

At the top of Hardknott Pass is an old Roman outpost. Imagine stationed there in the winter!

[@jeanlongsden1696]

in the UK you can graze your animals on Common Ground. this is why sheep and cattle are allowed to roam free there.

[@MONTY-YTNOM]

No you can't , another miss understanding of 'common land'

[@wiganfan3373]

it's all farmland

[@jeanlongsden1696]

@@MONTY-YTNOM looks like 3 people don't know how to use a search engine or you and the 2 others are just trolls.

[@martinwebb1681]

@jeanlongsden1696 ... You are correct. The "Rights of Common" allow people to graze livestock (cows, sheep, pigs etc.). In England at least, not sure about Scotland or Wales.

[@hannahhammond1993]

This reminds me of the horseshoe pass in North-East Wales. It was a lovely drive and day out i havent being in years as my dad passed away and he was the driver

[@wellingboroughanddistrictu3a]

My father ran out of petrol half way through and our car coughed to a halt. You should have heard the language my mother used. I thought they might be heading for the divorce courts! Anyway, she sent my father off on foot to find a garage, while she tried to occupy my brother and me. She told me many years later she thought we would be stuck there for hours and was mentally reviewing what food and drink we had in the car and what could be used to keep us all warm if we were still stuck there when night fell. Anyway, Dad turned up just over an hour later. He'd seen a telephone wire leading to a house some distance from the road and decided to risk leaving the road in the hope that someone would be in. He was lucky, the farmer's wife was there and she phoned a local garage who came out with petrol, picking Dad up on the way. When Dad apologised to her for putting her out, she apparently said that she used to it as it happened several times a year, especially during the tourist season!

[@Grassmonster3]

The lack of trees apparently dates back to the Bronze Age when people cleared the trees from the hillsides and valleys to make way for grazing their animals.

[@juliegolding2646]

You should see some of the roads up in the Highlands of Scotland. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 they would give the road a run for it money, plus you have to watch out for rock falls.

[@no-oneinparticular7264]

Indeed

[@lesleyriseam1282]

I do this on my way to the Supermarket . But its usually sheep or Coos that have escaped 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇬🇬❤️

[@JasonLaneZardoz]

The gate had a "cattle grid", which means that the gate can be open, but in theory the cattle can't get past that point

[@hadz8671]

Sheep can be particularly inventive in getting over cattle-grids.

[@JasonLaneZardoz]

@@hadz8671 😂yup, little rascals

[@wiganfan3373]

The gates are there to block the roads off when it's too icy/snowing

[@daveyr7454]

The gates across the road are in places where there are cattle grids in the road. And of course these roads are the links between the valleys. The lakes and trees are in those valleys.

[@janeharle3633]

I love these two passes, I’ve done the, both on a motorcycle, very exhilarating. Great videos guys, love them.

[@robertgrant4987]

Me and the wife are going to the Lake District next month for a one week break. We live in the South East UK so it is about a 5 hour drive for us. My wife has never been, but I used to go there regularly with my parents (God rest their souls) many years ago and going back again with my lovely wife will be a pleasure... I can't wait. I am especially looking forward to driving the passes 😆

[@no-oneinparticular7264]

Have a lovely time.

[@reactingtomyroots]

That will be a great trip! Enjoy :)

[@Linzie157]

It's best driving on country roads in the dark. You see lights in the hills every so often off a single house in the middle of nowhere. I miss driving 🙁

[@no-oneinparticular7264]

Spooky 👻 😂

[@RubyMadigan]

For me driving on roads like this at night is more about the fear of the sudden and unexpected cow in the middle of the road

[@Linzie157]

@@RubyMadigan it's the rabbits you have to watch out for, never seen a cow or sheep at night

[@RubyMadigan]

@@Linzie157 on Dartmoor it's definitely the cows. They're just munching at the side of the road

[@Linzie157]

@@RubyMadigan I only drove on the country roads from north yorkshire ,across to the west at Cumbria, I didn't say they don't go on the roads at night I meant i have never seen them on the roads at night

[@paintedpilgrim]

I'd suggest also looking at the Snake Pass and Woodhead Pass in the High Pennines, both are often closed during the Winter and both frequently have issues with the road surface collapsing, both are clogged with traffic trying to get between Manchester and Yorkshire/Derbyshire.

[@lorddaver5729]

What about the highest and most dangerous pass of the lot? Bealach - Na - Bah (Pass of the Cattle) at Applecross in Scotland? Always closed in the winter.

[@paintedpilgrim]

@@lorddaver5729 I was gonna say that but couldnt remember the name.....

[@janolaful]

The road over the pass was built by the Romans around AD 110 to link the coastal fort and baths at Ravenglass with their garrisons at Ambleside and Kendal

[@janolaful]

I use to drive the snake pass the planet's third most dangerous place to drive. The 26-mile stretch is part of the shortest route from Manchester to Sheffield

[@michaelhancock1261]

Hi the area is gorgeous but it has been over grazed for a long time. This changing now. The video doesn't do the joy of driving it justice. It is really steep and the bends in the road are amazing but people cycle it all the time amazingly

[@davidwatts-hw2dh]

ALL, of the UK is owned by the people. The Right to Roam. Our country. Everyone who goes roaming must appreciate the wildlife and their breeding times and not upset them.

[@petercresswell5402]

Err it's not, and adopting that can get you into bother. Scotland has a right to roam but the much of the land is privately owned. In England there is no overall right to roam, only in certain areas, but again most of the land is in private hands. I can't speak for Wales or N Ireland.

[@TonyWalsh-li4oh]

There's no right to roam

[@douglasstocks9698]

The highest road in Britain is the Cairnwell Pass on the A93 between Glenshee and Braemar it reaches a hight of 670m 2199ft. The steepest road in Scotland is t Bealach na Bà ('pass of the cattle') it also has the steepest ascent of any road in Britain it rises from sea level at Applecross to 626 m (2,054 ft) in about 6 km (3.7 mi), and is the third highest road in Scotland.

[@davidwatts-hw2dh]

@@TonyWalsh-li4oh YES there is. Any OS map shows all the tracks from hundreds of years.

[@peeky44]

​@@davidwatts-hw2dhthat's only on specific routes, known as Public Rights of Way. You have no automatic right to be on privately-owned land in England or Wales other than travel along defined Public Footpaths, Bridleways, Byways or public roads. "Right to Roam" normally refers to a blanket permission to "go anywhere" on a designated area of land. Apart from in Scotland, this right is typically only in place on Common Land (such as a village green) or areas of land in the care of bodies such as The Forestry Commission or The National Trust.

[@AlanEvans789]

Back in 1983 I drove this road in my parents Mk I Ford Transit motor caravan. There wasn't nearly so much traffic back then of course, but I didn't think it was that bad. But then nothings that bad when you're just 19 years old. What's more is we did the pass, then turned round a drove back again, as only drove over it to see what it was like.

[@blackenreed1425]

Same here. Did it there and back in 1970 as a warm up for my driving test. I was fine, but mum was having kittens and I think my dad was regretting the whole idea. Never done it again though.

[@Langstrath]

National Park designation in the UK means that development is much more restricted, while public access is encouraged and the natural environment is protected. Unlike in the USA, it does not mean it is government-owned or public land. The Lake District National Park is mostly privately owned. Much of it is owned by the National Trust, by Forestry England or by United Utilities (a water company which owns Thirlmere and Haweswater reservoirs and their catchment areas) but these organisations generally allow respectful public access. You can generally roam freely above the intake wall (i.e. on unenclosed land above the highest-level drystone wall on the fellsides) as long as you respect any erosion control measures but you need to stick to public rights of way through enclosed farm land in the valleys.

[@user-TonyUK]

I have hike over that road a few times on my annual visit each year to Hike in the Lake District. Fantastic views all arround you and the bonus if the Roman Fort on the Western side.

[@russelldawson9560]

Wrynose is pronounced Rye-nose. I walked up those passes 61 years ago when I was 12 years old. It probably explains why my calf muscles are like steel now!

[@Bridget410]

Check out: 'Extremely isolated, Applecross was accessible only by boat until the early 20th century, and for many years after that the only road access was over one of Scotland's most notoriously treacherous roads, the Bealach na Ba the 'Pass of the Cattle', which crosses the peninsula and reaches a maximum height of 626 m (2,054 ft), below the 792 m (2,598 ft) high Sgùrr a' Chaorachain. In 1975 the settlement was connected via a winding coastal road which travels around the edge of the peninsula to Shieldaig and Torridon. The road skirts the shore of the Inner Sound and Loch Torridon.'

[@Brian3989]

Back in the old days cattle were bred on the islands off shore from Applecross. They were swum across to Applecross, then driven over 'Pass of the Cattle' to markets miles away near Perth. Along the way the cattle grazed on the open grasslands along the route.

[@Bridget410]

@@Brian3989 That is what I was told. My Dad took my Mum on the Pass of Cattle, she had a fit! Once in the pub she told my Dad she wasn't going back that way! My Dad knew of the new road but told her the Pass was the only route in & out. Then the publican told her about the new road, I think it was the year it opened.

[@MrSmudgerooo]

Th bealach is WAY more challenging up in Scotland

[@Spiritof1955]

The "gates" you mentioned are usually cattle grids in the road. They're used to stop livestock crossing over via the road into another area.

[@margaretstein7555]

The Lake District is beautiful we go nearly every October for week and normally although it’s cold it’s been sunny we live in a town between Edinburgh and Glasgow and takes us about three hours to get so it’s not a long drive love from Scotland ❤

[@mark450]

Driven over the passes several times over the years. Great fun as long as there's not too much traffic.

[@alanmon2690]

The North of England (roughly north of Birmingham up to the current border with Scotland) is rugged, hilly with twisting rivers and valleys and basically uninhabited except for the areas next to the sea some rare flat areas. There are a few routes across the hills but not many. The north was covered by deep ice during the Ice Age which removed the surface down to bedrock Boulders and large rocks from here can be found scattered across the north. Roads such as in the video would have been used by traders with pack horses. Some of the buildings would have been inns etc for the traders. The term "Lake District" is a marketing term for the whole area; there is only one named lake (Bassenthwaite Lake), the others are "Waters" and "Meres", which are different words for large bodies of water. A chunk of it is controlled by the charity, National Trust. The touristy part is a relatively flat area around Windermere, centred on the town of Bowness-on-Windermere with other picturesque towns scattered around Windermere down to Morecambe Bay. Because of the relative flatness and the lower altltude the area tends to have more trees etc (Grizedale Forest). There are similar areas scattered around the north, eg; Forest of Bowland 30 miles south east, the Peak District, several areas in Yorkshire, up by Newcastle-on-Tyne. A lot of people just don't realise what the North is like!

[@jerry2357]

Rubbish! It's only the Pennines, Lake District and North Yorkshire Moors that are rugged and hilly as you describe. There are a lot of towns and cities in northern England, most densely packed between Hull and Liverpool (Sheffield, Manchester, Leeds, Bradford and many more).

[@alanmon2690]

​@@jerry2357 Those towns/cities are on the flat area between the hills and the sea. Go about 15 miles east of Manchester, 10 miles west of Huddersfield and you are in the hills and valleys. Greater Manchester has hilly parts to the north and east. Roads between Lancs and Yorks are few. I know, I've explored the Pennines, Forest of Bowland, Yorks hills, the Lake District etc. They are hilly with twisting valleys. See any Ordnance Survey map, I recommend OS4, Northern England Road map, which shows very clearly how restricted the usable area is. Then look at other maps in particula OS5 East Midlands. Cheshire is flat but to the east The Pennines continue (The Peak District), again sparsely populated except for the level bits, eg Buxton, Bakewell, Matlock, Matlock Baths down towards Derby. The original A6 comes up through those towns as did the railways because that route was relatively flat.

[@newuk26]

I always assumed the Lake District mountains were above the treeline, but apparently the only reason there aren't many is all the sheep would basically eat any fledging trees

[@stevieinselby]

I would say that Hardknott and Wrynose are some of the most _difficult_ roads in the UK, but not necessarily the most _dangerous_ ... the key distinction is that drivers are generally being cautious and taking them slowly. Whereas on some bigger but still twisty roads through hilly areas, you get a lot of motorbikes and hooligans going far too fast and overtaking dangerously, which puts other drivers at much more risk even if they themselves are driving sensibly. Yes, that is all part of the Lake District national park. But national parks in the UK are a bit different from the US, some of the land is privately owned and they do include towns and villages and living communities. But even on hills that may be privately owned, there is still usually public access. Yes, farmers will just have their sheep and cattle roaming the hillsides - the gates will usually denote the end of one farmer's land (and you'll get a cattle grid in the road, where a trench is dug about a foot deep and 2 or 3 feet wide across the width of the road, with metal bars across it - this allows vehicles (and people, if you're careful) to cross without any trouble but animals wouldn't be able to walk over it, so it keeps them penned in to that area and doesn't allow them to roam beyond. There are no trees because up in the mountains there is really poor soil quality and harsh weather. The Lake District actually has its own breed of sheep, called Herdwick, which is particularly hardy and can survive in the tough conditions and poor grazing. The Lake District is an absolutely beautiful place, and if you ever get the chance to visit the UK then it definitely has to be on your list of places to go. A lot of the markers you see are for footpaths - the UK has a really extensive network of footpaths, not just in national parks but all across the country, where you are allowed to walk even over privately owned land. On some roads in mountainous areas, you will also get snow poles - these are poles six feet or so tall that are placed every few yards, to help people follow the road if it gets covered in snow - but I don't think there are any on this road.

[@necessaryevil3428]

I drove to Crystal Lake in the Rockies in colorado when i was in the US in 96.... scariest drive of my life with sheer drops in the darkness returning to Denver but the place was stunning visually 😊 The gates have a 'cattlegrid' in the road to stop the sheep/cows passing through (slow the vid down and check the road surface)

[@Micamicamico]

The trees were logged. The UK is a very, very deforested country. Especially where i live in essex. Scotland has also suffered from heavy logging over many centuries. There are many forests in scotland but they are largely plantations populated by foreign tree species. Extremely little of the ancient forests that inspired fairy tales remain anywhere in the entire mainland.

[@Sue474]

What a glorious video! I love our countryside with the narrow roads, drystone walls and wandering sheep.

[@lyndseyandlife1299]

The gates are cattle grids. That's how the animals can't escape but can roam free. From Lyndsey (and one of my daughters is also a Sophia!) Love the videos xx

[@greamepenney5947]

Check out the London to Brighton vintage car rally. Held each year around November

[@Grez6232]

Much of the Lake District was heavily forested but it was cleared hundreds of years ago to make space for farming.

[@kevinwhite981]

Since watching your video's and your reaction to our scenery, i have started taking more notice of it myself and really appreciate it now, I've just been brought up with it and its everwhere. So thank you. From the UK 🇬🇧

[@JeanBeech-gc4iw]

It's wonderful, this is the type of roads that I love driving on. You feel very alive.

[@Rachel_M_]

One of The give way rules in the Highway Code is "Always give way to uphill coming traffic". This is a safety issue with many reasons but one reason is reversing downhill is a greater risk than reversing uphill due to the effect of gravity on vehicle control.

[@trevorgrimes7273]

Hi Steve Lindsey that breed of cattle are called GALLOWAY. they have a white band around the middle .

[@petersmithm9]

Belted Galloway.

[@kikibelle8265]

Belties

[@MiningForPies]

The Lake District used to be covered in trees. They were all cut down. Longer ago the UK was basically one large forest (talking Neolithic times there)

[@jaysmith8199]

I watch Black Horses, Greenbank Farm, Cumbria and they've just had Neil the dry stone waller repair a wall and build a wall. She put it on time lapse and the skill was amazing! And bloody hard work 😮 The repair was a young horse called Nero trying to climb the wall 😄 Neil put on the bill, "Nero damage" 😊

[@jonnymac-xo2lo]

There's more sheep in Ireland than there is people. Love the videos keep up the great work ❤️

[@no-oneinparticular7264]

There's more ------- than sheep , never mind, I won't go there. Its our fault 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@jonnymac-xo2lo]

@@no-oneinparticular7264 yea it is your fault lol only joking

[@JasonLaneZardoz]

@@jonnymac-xo2lo It's not your fault, as it isn't ours, it's the fault of our feckless political system, which we stupidly trusted. Stay strong

[@jonnymac-xo2lo]

@@JasonLaneZardoz honestly if there was no northern Ireland there would be no problem

[@botticellirejectbotticelli2668]

As I live in Scotland, that Lake District road looks easy.

[@jojeffrie962]

Lol 😂😂😂

[@MarkmanOTW]

It is actually much steeper than it looks on the video (a gradient of 1:3 in parts), and puts a strain on the engine and gears, and brakes, so can catch out inexperienced drivers and badly maintained vehicles. 😄 Couldnt help laugh when you said about cycling along it with a backpack and tent. Its hard enough walking or driving it - only hardened types could attempt or even manage it as it's relentless. ...And of course water always flows downwards. So the streams from rainwater travel down from the mountains to the valley floors, where you find the lakes 🤔

[@daveandow2809]

Have travelled these passes many times, even turning around, after a snack at the Woolpack Pub, and going back over. There are some lakes near by Blea Tarn and Little Langdale Tarn. Sometimes set aside one day of our holiday, having a picnic by the Beck in Wrynose Bottom.

[@annrimmington8690]

Check out the Bealach na ba in the highlands of Scotland!!

[@user-gt2ud2gw9e]

No, the animals are all domesticated. Farmers can let their livestock loose in the National Parks, and that helps to cut the grass. I told you before - when you come over, you can 1) take sheep for a walk on a lead 2) watch sheep dog skills tournaments 3) watch sheep racing, and place bets 4) visit a sheep auction and get in amongst them 5) visit a sheepskin museum and see all kinds of products made (e.g.I have a super soft woollen bicycle seat cover). The little girl would love most of these activities.

[@reactingtomyroots]

Those all sound like very fun activities! Appreciate the ideas. :)

[@andreaconroy3623]

Also watch lambing in the Spring

[@helenroberts1107]

Sometimes in the winter roads like this are closed due to snow

[@Rearda]

Longest I’ve had to reverse was in Devon, around 400 yards to let a tractor and trailer through. Wrynose Pass leads to the Langdale Valley where there are lovely walks. Hardknott Pass has a Roman Fort (remains) on the top.