# Lake District passes: Kirkstone to Hardknott

> 4-day road trip of about 109 km (68 mi) with 9 stops, from Windermere to Ambleside. About 1 h 30 min of driving in total.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b6-lake-district-passes/

**At a glance:** 4-day road trip of about 109 km (68 mi) with 9 stops, from Windermere to Ambleside. About 1 h 30 min of driving in total. England’s steepest roads link the lakes: Kirkstone, Honister, lonely Wast Water and the hairpins of Hardknott and Wrynose.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 109 km (68 mi) |
| Driving | 1 h 30 min |
| Suggested days | 4 |
| Stops | 9 |
| Route | Windermere → Ambleside |
| Countries | United Kingdom |
| Updated | July 5, 2026 |

## Route description

From Windermere, the largest lake in England, take the A592 over Kirkstone Pass, the highest road in the Lake District. It descends past Brothers Water to Ullswater, where Aira Force falls through a wooded ravine a short walk from the lake road.

Cross to Keswick on the A66, a market town on Derwentwater. The B5289 then runs down Borrowdale and climbs Honister Pass, with gradients up to 25%, before dropping to Buttermere. Walk around the lake on the level shoreline path.

Wasdale is reached the long way round, via Cockermouth and the coast road through Gosforth. The dead-end road along Wast Water ends at Wasdale Head below Great Gable and Scafell Pike, England’s highest mountain.

Return to the coast and head up Eskdale to Hardknott and Wrynose, where the road climbs at up to 30% through tight bends past a Roman fort. These passes are unsuitable for caravans and large motorhomes: take the A595 and A593 round to Ambleside instead. Avoid them in ice or snow, and in summer start early to meet less traffic on the single-track sections.

## Stop-by-stop itinerary

1. **Windermere** (United Kingdom)
2. **Kirkstone Pass** (Ambleside, United Kingdom): At 454 m the highest Lake District pass open to traffic, between Windermere and Ullswater. Motorhomes should come up the A592 rather than the very steep lane from Ambleside.
3. **Aira Force** (Watermillock, United Kingdom): A waterfall of about 20 m in a wooded ravine above Ullswater, crossed by stone footbridges. The car park by the lake road fills early in summer.
4. **Keswick** (United Kingdom)
5. **Honister Pass** (Borrowdale, United Kingdom): A steep, narrow pass between Borrowdale and Buttermere, with a working slate mine at the top. Gradients reach 25%, so go slowly in low gear on the way down.
6. **Buttermere** (Buttermere, United Kingdom): A small lake ringed by high fells, with an easy, level path of about 7 km all the way round. Parking in the hamlet is limited.
7. **Wast Water** (Wasdale, United Kingdom): England’s deepest lake, with scree slopes plunging into it and Great Gable at its head. The road along the shore is a dead end, so it stays quiet.
8. **Hardknott Pass** (Eskdale, United Kingdom): One of England’s steepest roads, with gradients around 30%. Not for caravans or large motorhomes.
9. **Ambleside** (United Kingdom)