At 454 metres, the Kirkstone Pass is the highest pass in the Lake District that you can ride over, and the inn at the top, a squat stone building that has been serving travellers for centuries, claims to be one of the highest pubs in England. The pass gets its name from a large rock near the summit that looks a little like a church steeple, the kirk stone, and it is a natural stopping place where riders gather on summer weekends to admire the views and each other's bikes.
The road over the pass connects Ambleside and Windermere, to the south, with Patterdale and Ullswater, to the north, and it has been a route through the mountains since medieval times. The A592 is the main road, climbing from Windermere with long gentle bends, but the most famous part is the minor road from Ambleside, known as The Struggle, which climbs steeply out of the town with gradients of up to one in four and a series of tight bends. It is short but intense, and in wet or icy weather it demands respect.
From the summit the A592 descends north into a beautiful valley, past the small lake of Brothers Water and down to Patterdale and the southern end of Ullswater, with fells rising on both sides. The road narrows in spots, with stone walls close to the edge, and the surface can be uneven. Traffic is heavy in summer, especially at weekends, and sheep wander onto the road. In winter the pass can be closed by snow and ice, and even in summer conditions turn fast, with rain and mist sweeping over the summit.
The landscape here is classic Lake District: steep, rocky fells, green valleys, dry stone walls and lakes. It is the country that inspired Wordsworth and the other Romantic poets, and it remains one of the most popular areas for walking in Britain. The light here is always changing, and the views from the summit, on a clear day, are wonderful.
The inn at the top serves food and drink. For fuel, shops and other services, Ambleside, about five kilometres south, and Windermere, a little further, are the nearest towns. Patterdale and Glenridding, at the northern foot of the pass, have small shops and cafes.