Climbing straight out of Ambleside on one of the Lake District’s oldest routes, The Struggle earns its name as the steepest way onto Kirkstone Pass, the highest road pass in England open to motor traffic.
A short, brutally steep climb
From Ambleside, it’s just 4.5 km for 385 m of elevation gain, averaging 8.5% but with sustained sections between 18% and 20%. The narrow road climbs almost without a flat metre before reaching the summit at around 454 m.
The highest road pass in England
Kirkstone Pass has carried travellers between Ambleside and Patterdale for centuries, and The Struggle — its steepest approach — takes its name from the effort it demanded of horse-drawn traffic in the days before cars. It remains one of the toughest short climbs in the country, a fixture of Lake District hillclimb events.
Getting the ride right
There’s no easing into this one — the gradient bites almost immediately out of Ambleside, so a low gear and a settled cadence from the very first pedal stroke matter more than raw power.
When to go
April to October — narrow and exposed, the road can be affected by ice and strong winds outside the milder months.
Good to know
The Kirkstone Pass Inn, a 15th-century coaching inn dating to 1496, sits right at the summit and is one of the highest pubs in England — a well-earned stop before the descent.
