st4
Banned
Well folks, its been a long time coming, the first decent tour for 2012. I am off work until April and the weather was fab so I decided as I was visiting an old friend in York on the Friday I should tour the lake district the day before and have a short hop over to York the Friday.
I think this was a good decision, so I packed a change of clothes, filled the shed and took advantage of shell petrol station 3 creme eggs for a £1 deal.
The run down the 74 passed without incident in comfort and eery silence given the speed I was going. However, what we really want to look at is the Lake distict.
Arriving at Pooley Bridge I formed the following route in my mental maps list and I will explain it.
First run, attack the road from Pooley Bridge to Glenriding down Ullswater, which is my favourite Lake:
The sun was shining and the shed was looking good
The next run was to aim to Ambleside from Glenridding by charging up the Kirkstone. 3000cc turbo cars and sports suspension are a good mix for this road, although you are aware of a) an E class is a large car b) the Drystone walls have seen better days and bits of wall are on the road. Attack, but attack with care.
At the top of the Kirkstone there are two ways to Ambleside, I prefer going down "The Struggle" as its less of a "Struggle" than staying on the main route IMHO
Looking back up the Stuggle you appreciate ABS brakes, 4 pot calipers and drilled brakes and paramater steering
Arriving at Ambleside even in a midweek day in March it was effing busy, so I pushed on for more remote parts and aimed the shed towards Coniston. I was stuck behind a coach for ages, and I do feel that coaches really shouldn't be sent on such narrow routes as traffic frequently had to stop, aim for ditches to allow the thing through. I turned off before Coniston and aimed for the Wyrose and Kardknott passes.
If anyone on here has done these, and a few have, the hardest part is actually getting to Wyrose as the road is incredibly narrow and badly sighted. Once onto the pass, its a blast, and a very powerful car like mine can hit 60mph on the uphill section thats relatively straight.
Here I am with the "shed" at the top
However, the Wyrose is good, but its about the Hardknott, lets be honest.
At 1 in 3 this is the UKs steepest road, and its 1st and 2nd gear all the way, lots of armfulls of steering, squeeling from the tyres and protestation from the ESP, or thats how I drive it anway.
At the top you get a truly epic view
Doesn't she look the biz?
The next destination was to get to the junction for Ravenglass, but turn left. Thats all I know, sorry no pictures, this is my favourite driving road as its wider than the passes and quite well sighted so big big fun can be had, and the shed in its new found power which works the 7g a fair bit better, was a natural star. Supportive seats, direct enough steering and reasonably poised (very for such a big car) meant I grinned like a cheshire cat all the way. I wound back to Ambleside, headed up via Grasmere to Keswick and this is another big fast road. Unfortunately a police car was coming the other way so I had to reduce speed as to not draw attention to my speed, but once it past, full rage ensued. It really is a big fun run up from Ambleside to Keswick and a huge contrast to the passes earlier on.
From Keswick, I drove down Derwent Water
And then onto the Honsiter slate mine and pass. I love this road, and I would go to the Slate mine itself, but time was tight as I was very hungry.
Quick snap at the top
And one for good luck at the bottom
For reasons unknown to me, this picture really reminds me of Glen coe, the scenery is very similar, and this is something the lakes has over Scotland, you can see pretty much the lot in a day and certainly two. Scotland needs more touring.
I stayed here rather than a chain type place as I'd rather support an independent business rather than a big chain, good decision, lovely place to stay, nice room, good price and great food
Nom nom!!!
Day Two, the hop over the "66", down the A1 and to York.
Easy drive the next day, the A1 motorway extenstion is coming along nicely and it will be amazing to use once its done. Great new road surface meant crusing in silence. Got to York swift and saw the sights.
It was lovely weather and great to see my mate again
Return hop home via Pooley Bridge as I forgot to pay my lunch bill on departing but I twigged on the way back. Another excuse to attack some roads
The full album is here
March 2012 - Lake District and York trip | Facebook
I think this was a good decision, so I packed a change of clothes, filled the shed and took advantage of shell petrol station 3 creme eggs for a £1 deal.
The run down the 74 passed without incident in comfort and eery silence given the speed I was going. However, what we really want to look at is the Lake distict.
Arriving at Pooley Bridge I formed the following route in my mental maps list and I will explain it.
First run, attack the road from Pooley Bridge to Glenriding down Ullswater, which is my favourite Lake:
The sun was shining and the shed was looking good
The next run was to aim to Ambleside from Glenridding by charging up the Kirkstone. 3000cc turbo cars and sports suspension are a good mix for this road, although you are aware of a) an E class is a large car b) the Drystone walls have seen better days and bits of wall are on the road. Attack, but attack with care.
At the top of the Kirkstone there are two ways to Ambleside, I prefer going down "The Struggle" as its less of a "Struggle" than staying on the main route IMHO
Looking back up the Stuggle you appreciate ABS brakes, 4 pot calipers and drilled brakes and paramater steering
Arriving at Ambleside even in a midweek day in March it was effing busy, so I pushed on for more remote parts and aimed the shed towards Coniston. I was stuck behind a coach for ages, and I do feel that coaches really shouldn't be sent on such narrow routes as traffic frequently had to stop, aim for ditches to allow the thing through. I turned off before Coniston and aimed for the Wyrose and Kardknott passes.
If anyone on here has done these, and a few have, the hardest part is actually getting to Wyrose as the road is incredibly narrow and badly sighted. Once onto the pass, its a blast, and a very powerful car like mine can hit 60mph on the uphill section thats relatively straight.
Here I am with the "shed" at the top
However, the Wyrose is good, but its about the Hardknott, lets be honest.
At 1 in 3 this is the UKs steepest road, and its 1st and 2nd gear all the way, lots of armfulls of steering, squeeling from the tyres and protestation from the ESP, or thats how I drive it anway.
At the top you get a truly epic view
Doesn't she look the biz?
The next destination was to get to the junction for Ravenglass, but turn left. Thats all I know, sorry no pictures, this is my favourite driving road as its wider than the passes and quite well sighted so big big fun can be had, and the shed in its new found power which works the 7g a fair bit better, was a natural star. Supportive seats, direct enough steering and reasonably poised (very for such a big car) meant I grinned like a cheshire cat all the way. I wound back to Ambleside, headed up via Grasmere to Keswick and this is another big fast road. Unfortunately a police car was coming the other way so I had to reduce speed as to not draw attention to my speed, but once it past, full rage ensued. It really is a big fun run up from Ambleside to Keswick and a huge contrast to the passes earlier on.
From Keswick, I drove down Derwent Water
And then onto the Honsiter slate mine and pass. I love this road, and I would go to the Slate mine itself, but time was tight as I was very hungry.
Quick snap at the top
And one for good luck at the bottom
For reasons unknown to me, this picture really reminds me of Glen coe, the scenery is very similar, and this is something the lakes has over Scotland, you can see pretty much the lot in a day and certainly two. Scotland needs more touring.
I stayed here rather than a chain type place as I'd rather support an independent business rather than a big chain, good decision, lovely place to stay, nice room, good price and great food
Nom nom!!!
Day Two, the hop over the "66", down the A1 and to York.
Easy drive the next day, the A1 motorway extenstion is coming along nicely and it will be amazing to use once its done. Great new road surface meant crusing in silence. Got to York swift and saw the sights.
It was lovely weather and great to see my mate again
Return hop home via Pooley Bridge as I forgot to pay my lunch bill on departing but I twigged on the way back. Another excuse to attack some roads
The full album is here
March 2012 - Lake District and York trip | Facebook
