Hardknott and Wrynose

Camcycle1974 · June 2018

Any tips on riding these back to back other than don't? Doing coast to coast in a day next weekend and slightly nervous about it to be honest.

mrb123 · June 2018

Don't stress about it. Worst case scenario is you have to walk the steepest bits (like many before you) which only amount to a few hundred metres in total.

davidseume · June 2018

FWIW. Back in the day (c. 1973), I camped in Langdale with the express intention of riding these passes. I equipped my bike with a purpose-built 13-16-19-24-30 block (5-speed only in those days) and a single 39t chainring. I had to get to Wrynose by climbing Lingmoor Fell straight out of Langdale and carried on along the Duddon Valley and over Hardknott to the Ravenglass and Eskdale rail terminus at Boot. Naturally, as any truly mad cyclist would do, I promptly turned round and rode back over all three passes for a much needed cup of tea. To save you asking; yes I did pedal all the way!
Would I do it again? Certainly. Could I do it again? Absolutely and certainly not.
My advice to you would be: just go for it. The memories will stay for ever. Good luck!

overlord2 · June 2018

They are not that hard and tbh what makes it hard(er) are other numpties in a sportive that can't ride - up or down.

chippyk · June 2018

Same as any long or hard climb, don’t go too deep at the start. When I was younger as a teen in the late 80s an old boy at the club said of hard climbs, pick an easy gear and go down one. Hardknott you’ll not get an easy enough gear but the principle still applies to effort IMO.

trek_dan · June 2018

As long as you give yourself a sufficiently low gear riding up isn't that bad. As someone said above its reputation for being terrible I would imagine mostly comes from the Fred Whitton where its right at the end at 90 odd miles and you have to avoid people walking and throwing themselves off their bike with cramp. Riding down in the rain/wet is an experience though.

crescent · June 2018

Find a good spinning rhythm as early as you can and try to enjoy the experience. If you stop it can be difficult to generate enough momentum to clip in again. They are very steep but obviously doable. Hardknott is particularly tough in my opinion. As above, beware the descents, they are pretty hairy.

davep1 · June 2018

Anyone who says they are not that hard has my admiration! I have only done it as part of the Fred, so yes, 90+ miles into a hilly ride on a hot day does have an effect on your ability to climb. You want a compact and 11-28 cassette at least (I had a 52-36 with an 11-32) and if you stop that is probably it. I would love to get back up there and try it with a 10 mile warm up but it is a long way from the south coast!
As everyone has said, coming down is very scary, narrow, twisty and bumpy, you need to keep the speed right down. If it's raining you'll have traction issues in both directions.

ugo.santalucia · June 2018

You don't have to go up Hardknott and Wrynose in the Coast to Coast... most folks use the classic C2C toute and go up Whinlatter instead... seems like you have chosen a deliberately duff route

roger_merriman · June 2018

trek_dan wrote:

As long as you give yourself a sufficiently low gear riding up isn't that bad. As someone said above its reputation for being terrible I would imagine mostly comes from the Fred Whitton where its right at the end at 90 odd miles and you have to avoid people walking and throwing themselves off their bike with cramp. Riding down in the rain/wet is an experience though.

I’d agree to a extent, namely that with sufficient gearing ie close to 20in you can just spin away, this said most road bikes even if gravel etc are closer to 30in which unless your very light and fit is likely to feel slightly over geared once close to 30% grade.

I’d certainly agree that climbing a climb with out having to a) navigate others in the road or b) being intimidating by reputation. Is far easier!

Camcycle1974 · June 2018

ugo.santalucia wrote:

You don't have to go up Hardknott and Wrynose in the Coast to Coast... most folks use the classic C2C toute and go up Whinlatter instead... seems like you have chosen a deliberately duff route

You're quite right, we don't. Copying the route of the official C2C route the following weekend. I've done C2C before, doing the classic route of Whitehaven to Newcastle in two days. Save for the gale force winds and driving rain as we got to Newcastle it wasn't that bad! It's the fact that's it's there rather than any notion of choosing a sensible route that is the motivation for doing it in a day. The route also takes in Limber Hill about 100 miles in which could be worse.

Camcycle1974 · June 2018

Thanks for the advice folks. Hardknott and Wrynose come in the first 30 miles of the ride so at least I should have fresh legs. As some have said it's the descents that worry me more, especially if it's wet. I'll be hanging onto the brakes all the way down. I have a 52/36 and 32 cog on the rear so at least I stand some chance of riding up. That will be the only goal to be honest, it's going to be a long day in the saddle.

DeVlaeminck · June 2018

The descents are fine unless you intend building up some speed, takes more balls to go down an alp at say 50mph plus than Hardknott at 10mph.

DeVlaeminck · June 2018

That said the top ramp of Hardknott the reverse way might be interesting if it was wet.

matt_n-2 · June 2018

I'm up this way with work next week and me and a colleague are hoping to head out late avo tackle Hardknott, Wrynose pop to Ambleside to visit Push Cartel then back. Only 31 miles but 4600ft ascent!

I've got a 34/25, was gonna get a 27 but didn't bother in the hope that I can get over them but sounds like I may be in trouble!

benjamess · June 2018

Matt_N wrote:

I'm up this way with work next week and me and a colleague are hoping to head out late avo tackle Hardknott, Wrynose pop to Ambleside to visit Push Cartel then back. Only 31 miles but 4600ft ascent!

I've got a 34/25, was gonna get a 27 but didn't bother in the hope that I can get over them but sounds like I may be in trouble!

Be a man and throw the struggle in while your in Ambleside. Only another 6 miles and another 1500 foot of climbing

Ad Hynkel · June 2018

I think you'll be OK with that gearing and with only 30miles in the legs, provided those legs have some readiness. I have only done Hardknott once, on an unloaded touring bike but with a triple (28/30), and while it is hard the biggest challenge I found was keeping the front wheel on the ground on the steepest bits. There are some balancing skills needed if you are creeping up seated, the way I did. I ended up pulling myself forward almost off the saddle to keep the wheel from lifting.

Good luck and go steady.

matt_n-2 · June 2018

Well, I think the aspiration of the above ride was a little off after I drove Wrynose and Hardknott!

Got here quite late also and wasn't on the bike until gone 5, but did go for an 18 mile warm up out to the west then gave Hardknott a crack, stopped 3 times but I got there, the top is very gravelly and pot-holed at present.

lakesluddite · June 2018

Matt_N wrote:

Well, I think the aspiration of the above ride was a little off after I drove Wrynose and Hardknott!

Got here quite late also and wasn't on the bike until gone 5, but did go for an 18 mile warm up out to the west then gave Hardknott a crack, stopped 4 times but I got there, the top is very gravelly and pot-holed at present.

Welcome to Cumbria!

Nice photos - nice colour coordination!

priory · June 2018

I am surprised nobody has mentioned motor traffic. When I have done these hills I felt rather embarrassed by the problems I was causing behind .

Camcycle1974 · June 2018

Great pics on what looks like a nice evening. I doubt it will look so inviting on Saturday under leaden skies and rain!

Hardknott and Wrynose

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