Is Hardknott Pass The Most Dangerous Road In The UK?

[@MartynMoore]

I first rode Hardknott in 1977 on a Yamaha FS1E. My mate was on a Honda SS50 with an undersize rear sprocket and we had to push him up the steepest bits. I did it again on my Ducati Scrambler 1100 two weeks ago and I'd forgotten how challenging it is in parts. It was a Sunday so it was also a lot busier. Higher potential for embarrassment but also help, if needed. Got through unscathed and, if I'm honest, quite pleased with myself. Great video. Thanks for letting me relive my journeys.

[@701Adventures]

@@MartynMoore You’re very welcome, glad you enjoyed the video 👍👍

[@oldeconey]

Hiya Steve, I know that road well, and must say it's not a favourite of mine, it's usually full of tourist traffic (for obvious reasons) they bring about problems of their own ...so it was great to see the pass so quiet for a change ...thanks for sharing

[@701Adventures]

Yes it actually worked in our favour with the guys having closed the road. I’d never seen it so quiet. 🤫

[@cyclingSausage]

I went down to Keswick to do an xc event but it got called off due to floods. So I cycled up the Hardknott pass for something to do when I was in the area. If you like cycling up hills I thoroughly recommend it.

[@701Adventures]

In my youth I did a lot of cycling but regrettably I’m no longer in my youth. 😂

[@Fahren67]

Done this a few times in the last month its a fun ride out. Saw a couple of guys with their bikes laid down due to misjudging the corners. My favourite route is the same way you did it (easier on the brakes from Wrynose side) then once ive done Hardknott i go up through Birker fell to Crosby snack shed for a nice BLT and a coffee, great little place for a rest they even have a toilet lol, after that I head up through Broughton fell then off home. I live kinda local to the area. Great vid anyway thanks for sharing. Defo better on a light bike I run a little Honda FTR223 flat tracker Japanese import its great fun.

[@701Adventures]

Your route which you’ve described sounds interesting, I may have to give that a go. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment. 👍

[@philipparmley7288]

Fantastic video. What set up for vlogging are you using might I ask

[@Phil300zx]

what body camera you using please

[@701Adventures]

@@Phil300zx This is the Go Pro 12. 👍

[@j-Photography]

Great video! This pass is on my bucket list. I really think the 701 is my next bike. I too would be coming from a 1200GSA. Hoping I can still do the occasional trip a few times a year of a 300-400 miles a day to get somewhere. New sub from me!

[@701Adventures]

Thank you very much for subscribing 👍 I’ve toured Scotland on my 701 from West Yorkshire, so yes it’s very capable of doing that sort of mileage without any issues. The tank range is 170 miles approximately so just use that opportunity to stretch your legs etc and you’ll be fine. There are quite a few of my subscribers who have sold their GS’s and moved to the 701 or KTM 690 and I only hear positive feedback 👍

[@j-Photography]

@@701Adventuresexcellent! How do you like the windscreen? Was it a big improvement? Ever consider one of the rally fairings from Rade Garage? This and AppleCross are on my list to ride. Been all over the USA (my home), and 7 European countries and Japan. Scotland is happening hopefully soon!

[@701Adventures]

@@j-Photography The screen works remarkably well considering it’s not very tall. I did consider getting a rally tower but, (A) they are pretty expensive and (B) I wanted to keep the bike as light as possible. Scotland is a beautiful place to visit, well worth the effort to get there but the weather can be a bit unpredictable. 👍

[@j-Photography]

@@701Adventures Well there are no 701E that fit the bill for me in my area, so it looks like I am picking up a 2023 690! Thanks again for the insight. Keep the videos coming!

[@701Adventures]

@@j-Photography That’s a shame, I know both my local Husky dealers had at least one 701 enduro in last week. Good luck in any case with whatever you end up buying. 👍

[@lewsdirtbikedays]

Is it sad that I love watching videos of folks failing at Hardknott? 😆 The bigger, more daft the bike the better, I'm a sucker for a goldwing upside down! Admittedly, I'm a bit of a sadist haha. But you handled that like a proper rider 👌 I even said to myself "oh.... That was it" when you crested the top 😂 was so smooth I hadn't even realised you were going up. Top job as always👌

[@701Adventures]

I do try my best to be a proper rider. 😂 I think everyone likes to see a bike being dropped on Hardknott, those videos always get thousands of views within the first couple of days or go totally viral. By all accounts there are a few trails over that way, have you ever done them?

[@carlstyth8368]

GoPro and the like don't do the roads any justice. Did Hardknott on a GSXR600. Thankfully, no stoppages from muppet tourists so it wasn't bad. Same with Hartside Pass. I know how tight some of the bends are, but on cameras they look like nothing. Also, the scariest thing was how gossamer thin the tarmac was. Hillside actually poking through...

[@701Adventures]

@@carlstyth8368 Yeah the road surface especially on Hardknott is a joke, I guess the local Council can’t be bothered to fix it and do a proper job 🤔

[@gedrooney9305]

I’m riding this exact route down to Whitehaven from Headingley a week on Sunday…on our steel Ribble road bikes, I’m doing some research..

[@ninjaarcades7356]

Nice video 📹 nice technical road bit of concentration

[@701Adventures]

@@ninjaarcades7356 Yes if you’ve never done it you should give it a go. 👍

[@cgln8760]

it's bugging the hell out of me that you've got that gopro bouncing around on that massive flimsy extension 🤣. what does the footage look like?

[@701Adventures]

@@cgln8760 The footage was fine because of the image stabilisation, however I was only temporarily trying out that camera position but I’ve since moved it to the front fender to give a more dramatic, wider view.

[@greengoblindave]

Another great ride. I’ve only been on this road in the car. I once had an Africa twin and thought no. To heavy for this road.. especially on that steep sharp right hand bend up hill. Great road. I’d live to do it on my crf 300l.. Getting my brother interested might be a different story. 👍 Although he did do Applecross on his Africa Twin Adventure Spirt, Fully loaded panniers and back box. Plus tent, seat bedding, on the back seat… 👍👍🏍️

[@701Adventures]

I’ve done this route on every bike I’ve owned, the hardest I found was doing it on my GSA, that bike was just too damn heavy for me! 😂

[@greengoblindave]

@@701Adventures 😂 yes that is a heavy bike. I nearly got Ont of those a few years back. I only heard about this road though around two years ago. As I said been once in the car. Everybody I ask if they want to go, say no.. I’ve not asked my brother since.. But I’ve tagged him in your channel so when he wakes up, hopefully he will jump onboard and watch your vids..

[@PureEvolution]

Did this the other week on my Tiger 1200 its such an amazing road to ride

[@701Adventures]

Did you ride it both ways just for the experience or just go in one direction? Either way it’s a great route. 👍

[@PureEvolution]

@@701Adventures Yes i did it both ways a few times as i was playing around recording at the time for my channel it was great fun and on a week day so very few cars

[@701Adventures]

@@PureEvolution I’ve just noticed on your channel you’ve done a video of it, I’ll watch it on the TV later today. 👍

[@PureEvolution]

@@701Adventures Thank you

[@GordonBlack-t9c]

So I rode this 19th June 2024. It is extremely extreme. Most of it in first gear. You have to commit on the throttle and hope you don’t meet anything on the bends. On the way down keep it in a low gear. Use the bake brake because the front keeps locking up. Done ticked the box will not do it again. The surface is shit badly maintained. There are better places to ride with better surfaces.

[@701Adventures]

Congratulations on doing it and yes you are correct, the road surface is shite. It’s been like that for many years. I tend to do most of it in either first or second gear otherwise the bike just starts to run away with itself. 😂

[@arie407]

Me and my son (dutch) rode the pass on 10-06-2024 . We did all of the passen above 1700 meter in western europe (dolomites, swiss, austrian and france alps and the pyrenees).Hardknott was one of the most difficult ones. Mostly because of the roadsurface that was extremely bad, and its very narrow so there is absolutly no room for error. But we did fine no problems , i would not do it if there is more traffic , it was very quiet. Enjoyed your country very much !

[@701Adventures]

@@arie407 Thank you for watching my video and visiting this region. I’m glad you survived the Hardknott Pass. 👍

[@williamcoulter5462]

I did it the week before from the Eskdale end on my super cub 125, I felt sorry for the guy riding the rocket 3 who was so knackered he had to stop after the first few bends for a rest before he tackled the downhill stretch from the fort.

[@701Adventures]

@@williamcoulter5462 On a really big bike especially something like the Rocket I can understand how that would be stressful 😳

[@NZ2STROKE]

How come you cant just ride on the grass to get past them?

[@701Adventures]

Do you mean with the workmen? Strict rules about not venturing off the main road and encroaching onto the verges or moorland for fear of disturbing wildlife or their habitat.

[@Bitwobbley]

Hi Steve. Seems ages since you did one of these videos. Love the area, and have done the Hardknott a few times, although I did it last time on a Triumph Trophy 1215. Not the best machine to take up there. Have to agree it is a little more challenging than Applecross, which I did last year, but still both have their own stunning scenery.

[@701Adventures]

@@BitwobbleyAbsolutely, I love Applecross, I love Scotland. The weather hasn’t been too favourable to do rides such as this recently but I think we’re gradually getting better weather so normal services can resume shortly. 😂

[@tobleramone]

Repairing it for the Fred Whitton he said, nice.

[@701Adventures]

Yes I’ve just been reading about the event as I wasn’t familiar with it, not living in the immediate area. 👍

[@Tolandur]

First time i crossed those two passes i didnt know it was supposed to be hard....... was asked by another biker on the other side how i did it on a Tiger 800 packed for 3 weeks of camping and i didnt have a clue what he was on about 🤣i guess riding on the Norwegian west coast for a couple of years (well i'd had my motorcycle licence for about 16 months at the time) makes one immune to stuff like this 😁 also did Applecross on the same trip and that was a bit of a letdown as far as biking roads go.... the view on the top was great so it was worth the ride up there

[@701Adventures]

Applecross is always worthy of riding but it’s not as technical as Hardknott Pass. 👍

[@diversionbob8482]

@@701Adventures The problem with Hardknott is there are blind corners, Wrynose and Applecross both have better vision round the hairpins.

[@701Adventures]

@@diversionbob8482 very true. 👍

[@silverdale3207]

Yeah , I can't really figure out why it's hard, In NZ we have plenty of roads like this but they are just gravel, would have thought it was easy on a sealed road, guess the go pro doesn't do it justice.

[@HazellRobson]

That was Wrynose Pass

[@fredaewalker2665]

No the drivers are. Driven it competition wise many time on rallies maintaing a 30mph average.

[@701Adventures]

I agree with you, you can either drive or you can’t. It’s a fact that some folk should never have been granted a driving licence. 👍

[@alcohol_soft_middle_aged]

That crashed car had tried to go over in the snow, lost control and rolled it, I hiked past it the same day

[@foleybrown]

They are surprised that 4X4 doesn't help going downhill. ABS isn't a great help either.

[@GP-pw5wb]

Far better than Applecross, nothing but motorhomes doing stupid things on that road.

[@701Adventures]

Tell me about it, I've done that road many times. 👍

[@davidwaddington9414]

it's not a road, it's a path.

[@701Adventures]

No I think you'll find that Hardknott Pass is definitely a road. 👍

[@geebee6737]

Driven this a few times without issue , if your car is properly maintained with decent rubber and you have the necessary skills it's a doddle. Unfortunately there are many delusional's who think they can drive that clearly lack any skills or common sense 🤣

[@701Adventures]

I totally agree. 👍