Honister Pass

Blueboy

Guest
Hi Guy's..

New to motorhoming,please be gentle with me..lol

I have just purchased a month ago a Auto Roller Fiat Ducato 1.9td 5 Berth

I am looking to wild camp this weekend with my family, and was wondering if anyone knows whether Honister Pass would be to difficult for me to take it there?

Is my engine strong enough to get up the Steep hills?

Don't want to get the AA up there!

Any advice would be strongly welcome.

Kind Regards Blueboy and Family ;-)
 
I don't see a problem other than the 'passes' will be busy with cars this weekend, we stayed near keswick last sat and drove through whinlatter pass sunday morning to get to cockermouth and the coast. A lot of the other roads have 6' 6" width restrictions around that area but not sure about honister? (done it loads of times on the motorbike though).

Whinlatter has a lovely visitor centre (lots of mountain bikers to watch as well) and a 'GO APE' site (pricy but brilliant) and i noticed several car parking areas on forestry commision car parks but didn't stop to see if 'overnighting' is banned or not.

good luck
scotsy
 
Cheers Scotsy. Been on the Whinlatter rd last month to visit the Osprey centre..

Wasnt popular on the rd on that sunday with lots of vehicles queuing up behind me to overtake, still finding my bearing's with my motorhome.
 
Hi.

I am fairly local to the Lakes and have done the Wrynose and Honister pass many times in a car and a motorbike. I would not attempt it in a motorhome well certainly not ours (Kontiki 6 berth 7+meters). There are some really tight bends and you could possibly ground it or get stuck. The other issue you might have is that this time of year its getting busy. Both passes get full of cars where their owners just cant cope and traffic ends up backing up as people just stop. I once saw one person refuse to go on and a ranger in a Land Rover had to move his car! Not sure if there is a 6ft 6 restriction but there probably is. Onc similar possibility that we have done is the Newlands Pass and the bottom of the Honister Pass. Newlands is between Buttermere and Keswick and Honister is beyond Buttermere towards Borrowdale. There are restrictions on the Honister but Newlands and the bottom of the Honister can be approched with care from Derwent Water with no restrictions or from the North (Cockermouth End) quite easily. You can stop at the top of the Newlands pass and it is fantastic or at the bottom of the Honister Pass (buttermere side). Here is a link to a post I did about it a while ago. Dont listen to the kill joy in the post just take it easy and enjoy!

http://www.wildcamping.co.uk/forums/general-chat/5441-northern-lake-district-superb.html

Regards
BArry
 
Cheers Barry.. I think i will take your advice, i am very new to motor homing so therefore i need to get familiar with my vehicle..
The biggest problem i have found is restless car drivers getting close to my rear whilst they try to negotiate to over take me.

That makes me quite nervous. !!!

Thanks very much for your advice,its much appreciated..

Blueboy ;-)
 
just make sure you stop and allow passing quite regularly....think how you would feel if you were them....some fools become so frustrated I've seen them overtake in appalling situations. Best that us lot take the lead and let them pass....keep the roads safe and we're not in a rush anyway.
 
Spot On

morphboy said:
just make sure you stop and allow passing quite regularly....think how you would feel if you were them....some fools become so frustrated I've seen them overtake in appalling situations. Best that us lot take the lead and let them pass....keep the roads safe and we're not in a rush anyway.
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Ear Ear :) - we are definitely not in a rush - the journey is on a par with getting there.
 
morphboy said:
just make sure you stop and allow passing quite regularly....think how you would feel if you were them....some fools become so frustrated I've seen them overtake in appalling situations. Best that us lot take the lead and let them pass....keep the roads safe and we're not in a rush anyway.
Click to expand...
ok i agree to some length with what you are saying but come on how often are you below the legal speed limit :confused:,if your van struggles at 30/40/50 mph it should be looked at,they want to pass because you ARE A MOTORHOME (sorry for shouting )but some of these pricks risk live and death to pass then in the next village you are behind them at the lights :mad:
 
Agree

Old_Arthur said:
ok i agree to some length with what you are saying but come on how often are you below the legal speed limit :confused:,if your van struggles at 30/40/50 mph it should be looked at,they want to pass because you ARE A MOTORHOME (sorry for shouting )but some of these pricks risk live and death to pass then in the next village you are behind them at the lights :mad:
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Got to agree with you on that too Arthur :mad:
 
Old_Arthur said:
ok i agree to some length with what you are saying but come on how often are you below the legal speed limit :confused:,if your van struggles at 30/40/50 mph it should be looked at,they want to pass because you ARE A MOTORHOME (sorry for shouting )but some of these pricks risk live and death to pass then in the next village you are behind them at the lights :mad:
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Yeah I ive noticed that. I find people pull out in front of me that wouldnt if I was a car. I think they think "Oh, I dont want to be stuck behind that" so they just pull out regardless. I have a very heavy right foot so tend to go blasting past them 60 seconds later. Perhaps "blasting" isnt the right word but as most of us are aware most of our MH's are not exactly slow.
 
LOL I dont think my van needs looking at at 30 40 50 mph

Its just me getting a feel for the rd.. only had it for a month so its still all new to me..

But eh.. if they want to over take me on a winding rd.. good luck to them..lmao..
 
Hi Blue, I wouldnt go up the Honister Pass. I,m not a doddery old fart, but if you try to get up from the Seathwaite end it has a really tight bend on a very steep section. If its raining or the road is slippy, being front wheel drive, if one of your wheels start to spin youre finished. You would not be able to make headway and end up having to reverse down, with the world and his wife calling you all the names under the sun. Plenty of other beautiful places to go, and you can get to Buttermere from the other end...Bob
 
Old_Arthur said:
they want to pass because you ARE A MOTORHOME (sorry for shouting )but some of these pricks risk live and death to pass then in the next village you are behind them at the lights :mad:
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'


I agree .....''the vehicle arriving there before the driver's brain''

Channa
 
bob690 said:
Hi Blue, I wouldnt go up the Honister Pass. I,m not a doddery old fart, but if you try to get up from the Seathwaite end it has a really tight bend on a very steep section. If its raining or the road is slippy, being front wheel drive, if one of your wheels start to spin youre finished. You would not be able to make headway and end up having to reverse down, with the world and his wife calling you all the names under the sun. Plenty of other beautiful places to go, and you can get to Buttermere from the other end...Bob
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Cheers Bob, coming from the Seathwaite sounded a better option..But i think i will stick nr Keswick

I dont want the misses close to tears again like last weekend when i took a wrong turning nr Coniston..lol

Blueboy
 
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If you are worried about Honister Pass, its nothing compared to Hard Knott pass, thats a no, no.
 
I know, i stopped nr there a few weeks ago at the caravan and camping site at Eskdale.

i had a tricky journey to Wastwater..lol

That rd was a bit nerve dangling..
 
Scotsy's suggestion to go over the Whinlatter is a good one. You could do that via Braithwaite or you could go up the A66 around Basenthwaite towards Cockermouth and then head back towards Buttermere and Crummock Water. There are places to wild camp along Crummock Water. However if you keep going to Buttermere Villiage and turn left up the hill you can get to the top of the Newlands pass there and camp right on the top, its magical. Alternitively you can keep going towards the Honister Pass and eventually at the bottom of the pass you come to a bridge and a 6ft6 restriction. There is a large parking area by the stream here. See pics in the link I sent you.
 
Thanks to all concerned in your help and advice, a BIG thanks Barry..

Iam going to take your advice. looking forward to a nice Wild Camping weekend Around Honister Pass..

Think i will arrive around 6ish. hopefully most car will have headed off or somewhere else..lol
 
Sure Will Barry.. i will take some photo's And my RAC Membership Card.lol "only joking"
 
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