Being a busy weekend though, it didn't take long before the traffic piled up and in the region of 100 car were waiting to get through. Some drivers were finding it difficult to stay calm, others relaxed and enjoyed the view, after all there's worse places to be stuck in a jam right.
Driving on the small, twisting, narrow, and often steep roads of Cumbria can be very challenging, particularly so for those in large cars, vans, and motor-homes.
We absolutely adore driving on the twisty lanes and often look forward to the next drive over the Hardknott Pass. This is the steepest road in the UK and even during good weather is quite something, add a splash of rain and things will get very interesting!!
A few things to bear in mind when driving on the Cumbrian lanes:
1) There are a lot of pot holes - so be careful and avoid punctures
2) Farm animals often choose to sleep on the road, try not to drive too fast, especially when going around corners
3) If you encounter animals lying in the road, a very gentle nudge is usually enough to wake them and send them on their way
4) Passing places are just that. They are not for parking in! For a more relaxing drive let other motorists passed by pulling into a passing place, this allows everyone a more pleasant journey
5) The Wrynose and Hardknott passes are the steepest roads in the UK and not to be under-estimated. Even after hundreds of drives over these, during poor weather we always emerge exhausted after the crossing. These roads are not for the faint hearted! They are also the absolute best driving roads in the UK
6) If not used to narrow lanes, it's a good idea to have a practice at a quiet time, then when faced with oncoming traffic on a narrow section of road you will feel more comfortable with the situation.
Having said all that, we firmly believe the Cumbrian roads offer some of the finest driving experiences in the UK, with scenery to rival anywhere in the world. So don't let us put you off, if you enjoy a driving challenge these roads are for you.