Everyone has a right to be stupid...

[Vanterrier]

... but this guy was abusing his rights.

We were on a nice if wet tour of the Lakeland fells and passes in the old XTrail yesterday and in pouring rain we were descending Hardknott Pass and as we turned the 90 degree bend on the last really steep bit I was astounded to see a Motorhome heading uphill towards us !!!
I pulled over but flagged him down and said to him "you won't get that up there mate" he actually looked quite annoyed I had stopped his progress and replied a bit miffed " why not?" "Well 1 in 4 gradients on a narrow and wet road with true hairpin bends in a 7M hire Van for a start" I said, trying not to sound like I thought he was stupid when I thought he was stupid...
I moved off and left him to deal with his situation and his irate wife who was telling him "told you so..."
I mean it's not as if you get there from a motorway slip road or something, the road to that point would be a serious challenge to start with and he had passed a huge sign at the bottom warning him.
Duh !
Hire Van drivers...
K

 

[wildebus]

I remember driving on either the Wrynose or the HardKnott and a old VW baywindow (original circa 1970s) coming towards me. I was surprised that made it up some of the 4 in 1s - and even more so as it was Dutch registered, so drivers likely never seen a hill before

 

[jagmanx]

Done both 2x
Once driving a 12 seater minibus !
2nd time in a Jaguar XJ6 (wide car).
So a decent PVC maybe ok.
The jag had loadsapower and large wheels/tyres.
The Lake district is wonderful but even the A roads need care.
Sharp bends and boulders walls waiting to ambush you !

 

[jagmanx]

Be interesting to know if a breakdown vehicle would attend.
I guess some would, others might say "Sorreeeeeee" !

 

[Winks]

I probably know the section, just beyond Harknott Fort on the Eskdale side. Claims a few even in modern vehicles. I have done it a couple of times in a BT Transit box van though, despite occasionally picking up a wheel on the inside.


Cheers

H

 

[Clunegapyears]

We didn't even do it in a car when fully loaded with tent and camping gear! Took the Aged Ps up there a few years ago. Dad was driving... just told him it was a scenic route .!

 

[Pudsey Bear]

It is a challenge, but I've done it in several vans as there are loads of places to camp up, I have pictures of the selfbuild in the snow up there, obviously it wasn't snowing when we started up.


On wrynose pass.

 

[wildebus]

We didn't even do it in a car when fully loaded with tent and camping gear! Took the Aged Ps up there a few years ago. Dad was driving... just told him it was a scenic route .!

I run a RAV4 Car Forum and we had a meet in the Lake District back in 2015. Decided to do a 4x4 convoy up the pass as seemed a good idea with everyone having 4WD cars (I always drive the two passes when I go to the Lakes in any car I have been there in let alone 4WD ones) and one of my Members was not best pleased as he was not expecting those roads - especially as unfortunately there was some kind of bike club on the pass but coming the other way. That was clearly the first - and last - time for him

 

[Pudsey Bear]

It's not often a road phases me as I was a courier for too many years bike, big vans, and 7.5t box vans to worry about anything, try driving around Marble Arch or just about anywhere in London on a Friday teatime, Baleach na ba is another dodgy one if you're timid driver, roads like that are more annoying than anything else if there is a moron coming down who doesn't pull over to let traffic going up to continue, why is not give way to vehicles going/coming uphill not part of a driving test by now?

 

[Vanterrier]

Aye but don't forget this was a 7M motorhome... I don't think it would be physically possible to get that round the hairpin in the dry.
It would be a good competition to watch though... kind of reminiscent of those clarty hill climbs we watched on Grandstand when I were a lad

 

[Wrighpm]

Love the views. Did it on an old BMW R75 boxer with pillion. Was quite exciting...main problem was hanging on as my pillion seemed intent in dragging me off the back on the steep bits. Will not attempt in moho though unless common sense deserts me. Some hired vans on NC500 were struggling a bit with single track steep bits. The coastal route N of Applecross springs to mind ....steep ....but hairpins not as tight as Hardknott.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

I saw a truck going up the hard way to Applecross once it had a huge static caravan on the back, sat nav error we assumed but he managed it ok.

 

[Scotia]

 

[Pudsey Bear]

So we've heard

 

[Livotlout]

Another, not for the feint hearted.....The Devil's Staircase, Wales....1 in 4...single track...two switchbacks !!!

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Doesn't look too awful apart from a couple of cattle grids and pot holes.

 

[Haaamster]

I remember going up the horseshoe pass in Wales in a vw bus, being just a little kid I felt car sick so I stuck my head out of the little side window in the back and repainted the side of the van.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Stayed there a couple of times.

 

[GMJ]

Another, not for the feint hearted.....The Devil's Staircase, Wales....1 in 4...single track...two switchbacks !!!

That's not too far from where we live. I'll have to give that a go.

I miss car meets/drives. I used to do them a lot when I had my TVR, less so with other sports cars we had.