Epic fail, Don’t blindly follow your sat nav

[Guigsy]

My mate fell off his Kawasaki Z1000 on the same bend just going slowly round it! It is a bit steep and camberish

You certainly can't put your feet down, particularly if you're bit of a shortarse like me. Lots of looking a long way ahead is required!

I've done it on a Versys 650 and it was fun (taller adventure'ish bike). Mate had a Ducati 1098 (hardcore sports bike) and hated it because it was so bumpy he was being bounced off the thinly padded seat every few metres.

 

[Lenny HB]

You would seriously limit the choice of MH by doing that as most are FWD.

Tyres do make a heck of a difference, we have Michelin CPs and they certainly aren't as good as the Vanco version.

Got to be about the worst possible tyre you could put on a Motorhome, got rid of mine way before they were worn out.

 

[poppycamper]

You would seriously limit the choice of MH by doing that as most are FWD.

Sacrifice I am more than prepared to make to get superior traction..

 

[cyberyacht]

I've done the Hardknott west to east in a Cortina without power steering. That was hard work. The sign at the bottom near Ravenglass says "Usnuitable for caravans". Slightly understated. Should say "Impossible for caravans".

 

[Odd-no-more]

Just glad it wasn't me ........

I have been on a well known hill on an A road near here in heavy snow which had fallen on ice. The truck in front of me skidded and ended up sideways on. No way for me to back down due to traffic behind me so I had to sit and wait.

The recovery vehicle managed to get the truck out of the way (an hour and lots of snow later) and the police asked if I was stuck "I'm not sure" I said, "but will give it a go". I was driving a front wheel drive Toyota Carolla with winter tyres and I was very slow and careful in pulling away - and got to the top of the hill with no issues. I breathed a big sigh of relief at the top I can tell you! I heard later from the recovery vehicle driver (who lives not far from me) that he pulled over a dozen vehicles out of ditches or from the ice on that hill that evening. The road was shut an hour after I got through.

in snow and ice I find FWD much better, but in mud no use at all, although I got stuck in my RWD PVC on mud several times as well

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[Guigsy]

Sacrifice I am more than prepared to make to get superior traction..

I've got stuck on field mud once in the past several years. So did the RWD duallie axle Ford van a few spots down. It rarely makes a difference. Much of my van trips are in Europe where it's rare I'm not on tarmac or gravel. Maybe if you do a lot of UK rally type vanning, it might be worth it, but certainly not for my use cases.

 

[Lenny HB]

I've done the Hardknott west to east in a Cortina without power steering. That was hard work. The sign at the bottom near Ravenglass says "Usnuitable for caravans". Slightly understated. Should say "Impossible for caravans".

I've done it in a Morris Minor and a Datsun Cherry.

 

[Silver-Fox]

I’m not sure wether it’s Hardknott or one of the other “tight” roads around there that has a hell of a bit of hill that narrows at the top.

That particular road I wouldn’t take our Moho up, think I’ve been on most of the others around there

Prefer all the roads on a Super Moto though

 

[poppycamper]

I've got stuck on field mud once in the past several years. So did the RWD duallie axle Ford van a few spots down. It rarely makes a difference. Much of my van trips are in Europe where it's rare I'm not on tarmac or gravel. Maybe if you do a lot of UK rally type vanning, it might be worth it, but certainly not for my use cases.

There will always be for and against arguments...
75% of my outings are indeed on rally fields/THS's and CL/CS's so yes it does make a big difference to me..
Incidently over the years my dualie RWD drive Moho has managed to rescue 4 FWD's Moho's from the mud.... and I have lost count of how many I had to rescue with my 4X4 when I was a tugger..

 

[Threeracers]

I don't see why not ?

View attachment 750347

Fabulous! I would probably give it a go too.

Mark

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[Lenny HB]

There will always be for and against arguments...
75% of my outings are indeed on rally fields/THS's and CL/CS's so yes it does make a big difference to me..
Incidently over the years my dualie RWD drive Moho has managed to rescue 4 FWD's Moho's from the mud.... and I have lost count of how many I had to rescue with my 4X4 when I was a tugger..

The problem is these days most RWD Motorhomes are in the £200k plus price bracket.

 

[pappajohn]

First time over hardknot and wrynose passes was on a motorbike.
I remember the front wheel spent more time in the air than on the tarmac.

 

[Minxy]

in snow and ice I find FWD much better, but in mud no use at all, although I got stuck in my RWD PVC on mud several times as well

Agreed, my ex-office managed had a RWD BMW and the first time she tried to use it on an icy road she nearly came a cropper and frightened herself silly, this was just trying to get out of the cul-de-sac she lived in, she refused to drive it after than and changed it for a FWD something or other.

 

[Mike123]

With rentals do they have any “no drive” specific routes that they advise people not to travel ?

 

[Odd-no-more]

Agreed, my ex-office managed had a RWD BMW and the first time she tried to use it on an icy road she nearly came a cropper and frightened herself silly, this was just trying to get out of the cul-de-sac she lived in, she refused to drive it after than and changed it for a FWD something or other.

Mrs. Ex had an MX5 and even in just a bit of rain the back end went. We never risked it in snow

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[Insider]

Had a look on Google maps at the road. Wouldn't want to try it in a PVC not to mind something larger with a big overhang!!

We have something similar in Ireland - the Conor Pass down on the Dingle Peninsula - if anyone is doing the WAW go the long way around!!

Below is a poor truck driver who did blindly follow sat nav last year

 

[Silver-Fox]

First time over hardknot and wrynose passes was on a motorbike.
I remember the front wheel spent more time in the air than on the tarmac.

Man after my own heart

 

[Minxy]

We have something similar in Ireland - the Conor Pass down on the Dingle Peninsula - if anyone is doing the WAW go the long way around!!

We did the Conor Pass in our 6m PVC, it was great, wonderful views.

 

[meanders]

But sometime when you don't follow the satnav you can equally get into trouble! A few years ago, heading to the King Harry Ferry from the east, following the satnav, when a road sign pointed right ,,, King Harry Ferry. Satnav said go straight ahead. Decided to follow the sign. Big mistake. a narrow lane that got narrower and narrower the further I went until the lane ran out a farm gate. Had to reverse a considerable distance before I could turn round. Getting back to the road we turned off, you could see all three arms had turned through 90 degrees.

 

[bigtree]

Hardknott pass yesterday. View attachment 750323
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Idiots.

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[ElliesBoss]

It's fairly common knowledge that hardknot pass is possibly the worst road to take any vehicle over. Many a clutch has given up on that route.

And many a cyclists. Including me!

 

[bigtree]

I did it west to east to see Hardknott fort a good few years ago on my Aprilia Falco which was a bit of a dog of a bike , it wasn’t great going down and chose not to go back up. I was very late for my dinner that night as I went right out to the coast and back round to Kendal.

 

[1ten]

We have taken our van over it a few times, definitely easier in the dry than the wet but still not a problem. It is only a 6.8m PVC.

 

[bobnick]

You would just get away with a PVC but a MH no way would i try it and there are not many roads in the world i wouldn't try........in the right vehicle.

 

[bobnick]

Done it on several bikes both ways. The hardest was a Goldwing, easiest was a BMW 1200 RT

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[Googlebot]

There is a lovely lake above Betws Y Coed. It’s very isolated and great to paddleboard. First time we went from the Ugly house, tight but just about okay.

We turned right out the lake instead of the way we came. I honestly thought the Motorhome would get stuck the lanes were so narrow.

Thought we would go from Betws Y Coed next time.

The turn onto the road to get to it from Betws Y Coed was awful. So bad, I was a second away from giving up. Burning rubber and smoke, even the kids started getting twitchy.

We don’t visit it in the motorhome anymore. :-(

 

[JTB]

Hardknott pass yesterday. View attachment 750323
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View attachment 750325

I'll bet the driver was popular with other road users.
Having done Hardnott in the past, I don't think I would tackle it in a motorhome.

 

[CWH]

With rentals do they have any “no drive” specific routes that they advise people not to travel ?

My BiL hired a van last year to do the NC500. They were told they'd be uninsured if they did the Bealach na Bà or the Drumbeg loops.

 

[Brains]

About a decade ago I did the Hardknott Pass in a 6.7m, 4t, LWB, RWD, Ford transit minibus.
No problem at all, but I did chuck out all the kids in the back for that corner.

It would appear to me that the original photo the driver did not take the corner wide enough.
You really need to do an over exaggerated turn on those hairpins, using every inch of tarmac available

 

[daventess]

I've done the Hardknott west to east in a Cortina without power steering.

Aye, but we had it tough. We used to live in rolled up newspaper in septic tank ...

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