Hardknott Pass (West side)
Hardknott Pass is a hill pass between Eskdale and the Duddon Valley in the Lake District National Park, Cumbria, England. The tarmac-surfaced road, which is the most direct route from the central Lake District to West Cumbria, shares the title of steepest road in England with Rosedale Chimney Bank in North Yorkshire. It has a maximum gradient of about 33%. The pass takes its name from Hard Knott which is derived from the Old Norse harthr (hard) and knutr (craggy hill). The Hardknott Pass stands at a maximum elevation of 393 m (1,289 ft). The Isle of Man in the Irish Sea can be seen on clear days. A road over the pass was built by the Romans around AD 110 to link the coastal fort and baths at Ravenglass with their garrisons at Ambleside and Kendal. The Romans called this road the Tenth Highway. The road fell into disrepair after the Romans left Britain in the early 5th century, although it remained as an unpaved packhorse route thereafter. The challenging gradients make the route popular with cyclists. It is part of the annual Fred Whitton Challenge, a 112-mile ride around the Lake District.
Region: England
City: Cumbria
Distance: 2.08 km
Elevation Gain: 276 m
Elevation Loss: 1 m
Difficulty: 445 (Moderate)
FIETS Index: 3.72 FIETS
Avg Grade: 13.48 %
Max cat climb: 3
Min elevation: 121 m
Max elevation: 397 m
Ride Category: Climb