Hardknott Roman Fort
Hardknott Roman Fort
4.5
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
This remote and dramatically-sited fort was founded under Hadrian's rule in the 2nd century. Well-marked remains include the headquarters building, commandant's house and bath house. The site of the parade ground survives beside the fort, and the road which Hardknott guarded can be traced for some distance as an earthwork.
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4.5
194 reviews
Excellent
115
Very good
67
Average
6
Poor
0
Terrible
6
CazBUk
Great Yarmouth, UK445 contributions
Sept 2021
After driving over Wrynose and Hardknott passes in mist, low cloud and rain, we stopped for an atmospheric visit to Hardknott Roman Fort. We wondered how the legionaries from Dalmatia ( Croatia ) must have felt about this posting !The small car park is basically a lay- by on the narrow road, but fortunately no one else was there. Getting to the remains of the fort involves a bit of a climb over boggy ground, so suitable footwear is recommended- I narrowly avoided a boot full of mud! The first building you come to is a circular bath house, and further up the hill are the main fort buildings ( just low walls ) with explanatory plaques. Fantastic views all around (even in the mist - but we have been before on a clear day )
Written 10 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
shamus67
UK227 contributions
June 2022 • Family
Worth a visit if you are going by, if you aren’t to confident as a driver maybe don’t attempt the drive. The views are stunning and it’s amazing to think of a Roman camp way up on these hills. Walls remain on the site and lots of information on boards around giving info on what everything is.
Written 3 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jannick G
Alnwick12 contributions
Oct 2021
Amazing, but be aware that driving to the top is incredibly difficult and dangerous.
Once on the top, the rewards are there. Amazing views and fabulous nature.
Must visit when you're in the area.
Don't let the weather put you off.
Once on the top, the rewards are there. Amazing views and fabulous nature.
Must visit when you're in the area.
Don't let the weather put you off.
Written 30 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David R
Newcastle, UK145 contributions
Aug 2020 • Family
It feels steeper to walk up Hardknott than it does when driving!
There are a few trails that diverge from the road but it’s not as if it’s busy, and you can see cars coming from far away.
One you reach Hardknott Fort (if you walked there; there does appear to be car parking) then you’ll be able to explore in peace and serenity.
Plenty places to sit and have a well earned sandwich before trekking back down.
There are a few trails that diverge from the road but it’s not as if it’s busy, and you can see cars coming from far away.
One you reach Hardknott Fort (if you walked there; there does appear to be car parking) then you’ll be able to explore in peace and serenity.
Plenty places to sit and have a well earned sandwich before trekking back down.
Written 28 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
T-SGlobetrotters
Preston, UK4,091 contributions
Mar 2022
The remains of the fort are located just a short distance off the Hard Knott Pass Road. There is a small car park but between this and the fort itself is some boggy ground so good footwear is recommended.
The views from the fort itself are spectacular and we were fortunate to visit on a sunny clear day. There are good information boards all around the remains of the fort which provide simple explanations of the original lay out. A good half hour stop if travelling around the area.
The views from the fort itself are spectacular and we were fortunate to visit on a sunny clear day. There are good information boards all around the remains of the fort which provide simple explanations of the original lay out. A good half hour stop if travelling around the area.
Written 31 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lynne_bowers
essex5 contributions
hardknott pass is for the truely brave .... it scared our family ...the views if you can see them through closed eyes...are barren...the road looks like a short cut but be warned it's single track most of the way and extremely tretcherous with steep inclines and drops. if you come accross a car going the other way one of you has to be brave and back up!!! your brakes and clutch won't thank you,....neither will the passengers!!! it's so bad that wardens in 4x4's are sited arround the area. so be warned avoid it.....
Written 5 August 2008
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Illinioisian
Mattoon, IL18 contributions
Apr 2012 • Solo
The Roman fort is nice, but there better examples along Hadrian's wall northeast of Carlisle. What is truly different about this fort is its location, high along the high Hardknott Pass in the wild part of the Lake District. Be forewarned: the drive over the pass isn't for flatlanders, wimps, and the weak of heart. On many days, the pass will test your vehicle and your driving abilities like they've never been tested before. So, determine your resolve and prepare for the trip:
--Ensure your vehicle is in tiptop shape: tires inflated, fluids topped, spare tire is accessible and aired
--Pick a bright, sunny day (they do happen in West Cumbria. Really. You don't want to be on the pass in inclement weather of any sort. Trust me on this one.
--Choose your risk: summer time means better road conditions, but lots of traffic, which isn't a good thing necessarily, given that the road is little wider than a single car in many places. The rest of the year sees a lot less traffic, but be forewarned that if you break down, you could be stranded for some time.
So, why even bother, you ask? Every place you visit leaves you with memories. But a very few places sear the memory into you brain like it came from a brandingn iron. I place Hardknott in that category, along with boating down the Amazon River, seeing the sun rise at Macchu Pichu, and wading in the Bora Bora lagoon. Whatever happens, you certainly won't forget it.
So, what happened during my two trips over the pass? Plenty. My underpowered Kia started to smell like burning oil as I snaked my way up the narrow, windy, ribbon-like road. On the way up, I caught stupendous/wonderful/scary views of the pass. On one trip, while I neared the top, I came upon a car in which the driver had frozen, stopping in the middle of the narrow road. I signalled him to move, but he wouldn't, his white-knucked fingers gripping the steering wheel. I had no alternatives, so I crept past him with two tires on the pavement and two tires off, seemingly close to the abyss. Travelling west to east, as I topped the pass, I was afforded the "big view" of the valley ahead-- a visage on the scale of the Rocky Mountains. Bottom line: am I glad I did it? Absolutely. Would I do it again? Probably not.
--Ensure your vehicle is in tiptop shape: tires inflated, fluids topped, spare tire is accessible and aired
--Pick a bright, sunny day (they do happen in West Cumbria. Really. You don't want to be on the pass in inclement weather of any sort. Trust me on this one.
--Choose your risk: summer time means better road conditions, but lots of traffic, which isn't a good thing necessarily, given that the road is little wider than a single car in many places. The rest of the year sees a lot less traffic, but be forewarned that if you break down, you could be stranded for some time.
So, why even bother, you ask? Every place you visit leaves you with memories. But a very few places sear the memory into you brain like it came from a brandingn iron. I place Hardknott in that category, along with boating down the Amazon River, seeing the sun rise at Macchu Pichu, and wading in the Bora Bora lagoon. Whatever happens, you certainly won't forget it.
So, what happened during my two trips over the pass? Plenty. My underpowered Kia started to smell like burning oil as I snaked my way up the narrow, windy, ribbon-like road. On the way up, I caught stupendous/wonderful/scary views of the pass. On one trip, while I neared the top, I came upon a car in which the driver had frozen, stopping in the middle of the narrow road. I signalled him to move, but he wouldn't, his white-knucked fingers gripping the steering wheel. I had no alternatives, so I crept past him with two tires on the pavement and two tires off, seemingly close to the abyss. Travelling west to east, as I topped the pass, I was afforded the "big view" of the valley ahead-- a visage on the scale of the Rocky Mountains. Bottom line: am I glad I did it? Absolutely. Would I do it again? Probably not.
Written 16 April 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alistair T
Milton Keynes1 contribution
Mar 2015 • Couples
The drive to Hardknott from Ambleside took us 30 mins. It was a challenging but fun drive along a mainly single track road and perfectly safe as long as you are sensible.
I have visited many of the principal Roman historical sites in the UK and this is amongst the best preserved presumably because of its remote location, you can even still make out the parade ground further up the hill from the fort. The views down the Eskdale valley were stunning despite the drizzly weather. You really got a sense of how things must have been for these foreign troops in this remote part of the empire. We will be returning again in fairer weather to walk the area.
I have visited many of the principal Roman historical sites in the UK and this is amongst the best preserved presumably because of its remote location, you can even still make out the parade ground further up the hill from the fort. The views down the Eskdale valley were stunning despite the drizzly weather. You really got a sense of how things must have been for these foreign troops in this remote part of the empire. We will be returning again in fairer weather to walk the area.
Written 28 March 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
handbags__addict_11
Stafford, UK66 contributions
Mar 2014 • Couples
we knew all along that this place was remote however the drive there was treacherous. i feel this would have been ok of anywhere this had been advised but to have 30% inclines with no warning is crazy
Written 12 March 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
doofvfood (with botak ahjussi)
World5,855 contributions
Mar 2013 • Couples
visited the hardknott roman fort when in the lake district - had seen some atmospheric pictures of it and really wanted to go, though was worried about the hardknott pass. as it was only a short way into the pass, we decided to chance it (weather hadn't been good, with rain and some snow in previous days). it is not actually very well sign posted, but we saw what looked like a small parking area, with a plaque/ explanation of the fort. there didn't seem to be any walking paths to the fort though, so we drove a further way down and thankfully saw the remains of the bath, so we turned back and parked where we saw the plaque and walked to the bath and climbed up to the fort that way. the weather was atrocious - rainy, cold, windy, depressing. but the ruins of the fort was worth it. the guidebook said that only some bits were originals and the rest were partial reconstructions to show where the different buildings/ walls and things were. however, the view was really worth it. it also gave you the sense of isolation those who were based there must have felt. on one side the was the eskdale valley and the other side was the crazy winding road on the rest of the hardknott pass. as we were the only ones there, it really was a special feeling being high up in the hills, on our own, amongst the remnants of history. i would definitely recommend people to make a special trip there as the sense of history is immense and the feeling you get is quite incredible. we decided not to do the rest of the hardknott pass as there have been some difficult driving in the previous days, but it seems like the views from it are amazing as well. the hardknott roman fort is well worth a visit, definitely one of the highlights of my trip!!
Written 25 March 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Have English Heritage “rebuilt” the fort? My wife and visited over 30 years ago and neither of us could recall such obvious shells of buildings and towers! It remains a fantastic site though!!
Written 27 June 2020
Actually I have to take back everything I wrote since I misread the query. Housesteads Roman Fort has the features mentioned in my answer, but Hardknott does not. In fact you can't get anywhere near it in a wheelchair. You will see nothing. There is no access over even remotely flat ground, and no proper paths. It's all rough ground and the fort is over the crest of a hill so that you can see little or nothing from the road. Also, the road approaching the fort is horrible, so is a bit of an ordeal to reach the site. Sorry for the confusion.
Written 28 July 2019
Do you allow dogs in the fort? If so do they need to be kept on a lead?
Written 10 April 2019
There was nothing stopping dogs from entering.
Written 28 April 2019
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