Hardknott and Wrynose Passes

This is slow-speed, high-concentration riding. The gradients are severe, the corners are tight and often blind, and the road is narrow enough that oncoming traffic means real planning. On a bigger adventure bike it's a genuine workout; on anything it's an experience you won't forget.

The reward is the setting. You're riding through the heart of the Lake District's high fells, with the Roman fort at Hardknott part way over and views down into Eskdale that justify every sweaty moment.

The passes sit in the middle of some of the best riding in the Lakes, so they slot naturally into a bigger loop taking in the Langdales, Coniston Water or the run down the Eskdale valley towards the coast.

The Hardknott Roman Fort is right beside the road and worth a stop, and the Eskdale valley on the western side is a lovely place to catch your breath before the return leg.

The road is shared with walkers, cyclists, sheep and tourist traffic, much of it driven by people who are out of their comfort zone. Be patient, pass wide and expect the unexpected around every hairpin.

Locals use this road too. Keep the noise and the pace down near farms and houses, and never treat the hairpins as a race track.