Club 80-90 Forums

Planning a trip to Scotland this summer and I always avoid passes in the Lakes if I can help it. Been up and down the Kirkstone about 5 years ago, same for the Newlands pass and we've been to the Honister mine and back from Borrowdale.

Since then though we've been over the Pyrenees via the Aragounet-Bielsa tunnel last year at a height of 6000ft but none of those gradients were bigger than 10% or they didn't seem it.

What is the Bealach na Ba Pas like? Does it require any shifts down to 1st on the hairpins (had to do that before in the Lakes). Seen a green T2 on google maps going over so anythings possible I suppose

OH YES!

If you add T25 as a tag to a google search you'll see a couple of images of bricks that have also gone over the pass - 2nd all the way was the comment from one. We're thinking about Scotland this easter so it's interesting to see your post.

Cruz wrote:Planning a trip to Scotland this summer and I always avoid passes in the Lakes if I can help it.

Isn't that the whole point of having a van like ours, the fact that you can take it places like passes that you (c/w)ouldn't take a big fridge-freezer?

Does it require any shifts down to 1st on the hairpins (had to do that before in the Lakes).

There's a hairpin between here and the nearby larger town which requires first...

You will go up it no bother and in a clear day it will be well worth it. Weve been over it a good few times as we sometimes camp in Applecross which by the way has an hotel that serves food that is to die for.

I drove up this last summer,



It was 7087 feet at the highest point we got to and to be fair although the views were amazing as long as you can take any mountain pass wide on the hair pins and its on a sealed road you will be fine in one of our vans. I have a thing about mountain passes though and am always drawn to them as you leave them with an enormous sense of achievement. On the Grimsal pass they had an Aire at the top that you can stay for 7 euro, one of my biggest regrets is not stopping and staying there a night.

It can be seen 4:24 onward here http://campervanculture.com/category/trips/page/2/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Go for it

Jed

We were going to stay at the air at the top but the weather was really bad up there, very windy and cold. We decided to drive down the other side and we found and stayed in the best wild camping spot ever. Wish I had a photo to show it but I managed to wipe my iPhone when I updated it.

Oh man... I am almost as gutted as you.

Jed

Did this in our 1980 Aircooled Westy last July..... Only 'hairy' part was on the way down the other side as a car full of doddery old gits in front of us decided to stop to take a pic.....without bothering to look in his mirror!
Managed to stop in time, but made for very spongey brakes for the rest of the descent...
As Donnie says, well worth it for the food at the Applecross inn, and the campsite is good too....we had wild deer wandering across the site early one morning.

Though I had a couple of pics....

and a couple more...

Thanks all. Bobdogs it was the slope (in your 2nd pic) that took me eye when I drove the pass on google street view.

I suppose if I've been to 6000ft in the pyrenees then we can manage this

Hi Cruz,
That slope looks worse than it is!
There's a coast road that takes you to Applecross...we chickened out on the pass on our first trip (in my old van) and took the long way....it's a really nice single track road that hugs the shore with the usual fantastic scenery...should you get there and change your mind!

I had seen that alternative route. it is to be our route away from applecross

wise choice as it is lovely round that way as well and when you get to the junction Sheildaig village is worth a wee look.If you plan to go round as far as Gairloch then sands campsite is fantastic