
Things to Know Before Driving To Great Dun Fell in Cumbria
England, europe
7.29 km
848 m
hard
Year-round
Okay, picture this: you're in Cumbria, England, ready to tackle what they call the highest paved road in Britain – Great Dun Fell! You'll find it chilling at 848m (2,782ft) above sea level, smack-dab in the stunning North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Heads up, though: this area can get a bit military-ish, so keep an eye out for signs and respect any restricted zones.
The road kicks off near Knock and stretches for about 7.29 km (4.52 miles) straight up to a seriously cool radar station. Seriously, these radar domes are HUGE, and you can spot them from miles away.
Cyclists, listen up! This climb is legendary. Think of it as the "Mont Ventoux of the North Pennines." We're talking a lung-busting 593 meters of elevation gain, with an average gradient of 8.1%. Don't let that fool you – some sections crank up to a brutal 16%! It's split into sections, each one more intense than the last!
Important note: technically, this paved road is marked as private from just above Knock, so cars aren't allowed. But walkers, cyclists, and horse riders, you're good to go... until you get super close to the radar station.
As for the scenery? Epic, barren, and totally Pennines. Just a heads up: this summit loves to hoard snow in winter, so watch out for black ice when it gets chilly.
Where is it?
Things to Know Before Driving To Great Dun Fell in Cumbria is located in England (europe). Coordinates: 52.4130, -2.8611
Road Details
- Country
- England
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 7.29 km
- Max Elevation
- 848 m
- Difficulty
- hard
- Coordinates
- 52.4130, -2.8611
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