HARDKNOTT v APPLECROSS PASS.

Mtbcol

Mtbcol

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Morning all.
We've just returned from a trip that included a drive up (and down of course 😁) the Hardknott pass. We have a Transit medium height, mwb and we did struggle a bit in some of the hairpins (front wheel spins) due to it being front wheel drive and light on the front due to the steepness of the road and tightness of the bends....causing several beads if perspiration on my brow!😁. Question is, we are thinking about the NC500 in October ish, using the Applecross pass, and wondered if anyone has done both if these passes and can say if they are the same or one is worse than the other etc. so we can use an alternative route if necessary as Mrs. A is none to keen to repeat the experience 😁.

Thanks all

Colin. 🙂👍
 
I’ve been over both several times, though never done Hardknott in the van. and must say that the road to Applecross is very much the easier.
 
"Did Applecross" in 6.5m 3500kg coachbuilt..ok it is after all a classified road. And has passing places in the narrow parts.
Hardknott (&Wrynose) are unclassified so very dodgy in either a minibus or a wide car
(jag xj6, merc E, Bmw7)
Beware brake fade. Both are very steep.
Many Lake district roads are quite hungry and likely to "take a bite out of a camper"...And there are the oncoming lunatics !
 
Applecross is much easier.
Rear wheel drive vans spin their inside wheel on a few of the tighter corners on Hardknott too.
 
Thank you all for your info and advice, Applecross it is then!😁👍
Colin.
jagmanx said:
"Did Applecross" in 6.5m 3500kg coachbuilt..ok it is after all a classified road. And has passing places in the narrow parts.
Hardknott (&Wrynose) are unclassified so very dodgy in either a minibus or a wide car
(jag xj6, merc E, Bmw7)
Beware brake fade. Both are very steep.
Many Lake district roads are quite hungry and likely to "take a bite out of a camper"...And there are the oncoming lunatics !
Click to expand...
Thanks jagmanx. I found the down easier to cope with than the up. My usual practice if low gear and braking on and off rather than foot continuously on the brake works well, and getting the positioning right on the hairpins (up and down) so you don't need to reverse and try again....some thing some car drivers need to do🤣.
 
At the start
IMG-20220217-WA0006.jpg
 
Yes I've done both several times and Applecross is definitely easier.

It may of course be closed when you go if there is snow about but there is always the alternative route around the coast road to Applecross.
 
Bealach na Ba is a bit difficult but not compared to the other two passes, biggest issue is stupid people coming down and not giving way to Mohos going up so you could quite easily do a clutch in if inexperienced on setting off on a hill, we've been up in every van we've had so quite doable, I'd rather go up than down, brakes can get a hammering again if inexperienced, there is also the other way round via Sheildaig, which is also a nice run but less butt puckering.



applecross%20pass.JPG
 
If you change your mind you haven't got to go out of your way for the alternative route
 
Hardknott, Wrynose and Kirkstone were all in my patch whilst working for Post Office/BT and been over them many times in everything from a Bedford HA van to a platform mounted on a DAF chassis. Just a case of taking your time and looking as far ahead as you can. The worst vehicle was a Maestro van which wouldn't grip if the road was even slightly damp. Same van I had to reverse up to Kirkstone Quarry from the Ambleside side of the pass, about 3/4 of a mile. The quarry lads used to think it was a right giggle.

Cheers

H
 
Never been up the Applecross pass but done the Hardknott in various vehicles and bikes many times. I think if you can get over that, especially from West to east where its the most severe you should pretty much get up anything. The thing to do I reckon going up from the west is to drive it like you stole it or like you are on the RAC rally. If you fanny about and get stuck on one of the steep hairpins your knackered.
 
Done Hardknott in a Beetle 1300 with no problems, failed miserably in a Jaguar S Type mainly due to a knobhead in a Range Rover speeding down toward the tight and steep hairpin I was coming round. If he had braked I would have made it but no, I had to brake and just couldn't get traction, ended up doing a very scary twelve point turn with a killer drop behind me.
 
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