Heading to Kirkstone Pass

On the afternoon of 28 March 2012, the temptation of the open road proved too strong to resist. The moment the clock struck the end of the working day in Southampton, I fired up the Clio, bypassed the evening rush, and pointed the nose firmly north toward Cumbria. The hot hatch settled into a relentless motorway cruise, effortlessly devouring the miles as dusk turned into night.

By around 9:00 PM, the glossy black nose of the Clio pulled into the car park of the Preston East Premier Inn. Positioned perfectly as a launchpad just off the M6, it offered exactly what you expect from the chain: reliable comfort, a warm welcome, and no surprises. After a long stint behind the wheel, I enjoyed a quick, hearty meal at the restaurant and caught a brilliant night's sleep, eager for the mountain roads waiting for me in the morning.

The next morning started the right way with a full Premier Inn breakfast before I joined the M6 North toward Penrith. I have always preferred approaching the Lake District National Park from this northern end; there is something incredibly dramatic about watching the flat horizon slowly morph into towering, jagged peaks. Passing the grass-roofed Rheged Centre, I indicated left and turned onto the legendary A592. This is where the real driving journey truly begins. The spring weather was absolutely spot on—crisp, beautifully clear, and bright—and the roads were remarkably free of traffic. The Clio’s 2.0-litre engine sang as I swept alongside the shoreline of Ullswater, the second-largest lake in England. The water was still as glass, mirroring the massive fells that drop straight into the shoreline, creating a breathtaking panorama through the windscreen.

I pushed deeper into the valley, clipping the edge of the lake and dancing through the quiet, picturesque villages of Glenridding and Patterdale, where the road begins to narrow and the real topography of the Lakes starts to push back.

Conquering the High Passes: Kirkstone and The Struggle

Soon, the road began to tilt upward dramatically as I reached the foot of my first proper mountain pass: Kirkstone Pass. Climbing to an altitude of 1,489 feet (454 metres), it is the Lake District’s highest pass open to motor traffic. The Clio 172 was in its absolute element here. Its lightweight chassis and punchy, naturally aspirated power made light work of the steep gradients as the road twisted upward through a stark, boulder-strewn landscape. At the summit sits the lonely, whitewashed Kirkstone Pass Inn—the third-highest pub in England—standing like a sentinel against the dramatic skyline

From the summit, I decided to tackle the legendary branch road aptly named The Struggle, which drops down into Ambleside. This ribbon of tarmac lives up to its formidable reputation. It is an incredibly steep, heavily undulating, and tightly winding descent with gradients hitting a brutal 1 in 4 (25%) in places. With its rapid hairpins and technical bends, it felt like a tarmac rally stage. I took full advantage of the quiet morning, pulling over at several of the gravel viewpoints to snap photos of the deep black Renault hot hatch looking sharp against the backdrop of the sweeping valleys and plunging hillsides below.

Afternoon Cruising and the Long Run Home

The rest of the day was pure automotive bliss. I spent the hours exploring hidden lanes, chasing the sun between shifting viewpoints, and stopping for a relaxed lunch surrounded by some of the most epic scenery the UK has to offer. The Clio performed flawlessly, balancing the role of an aggressive corner-carver on the passes with a comfortable cruiser between the lakes.As the afternoon began to wind down, I made my way toward Windermere for a final look at the vast water before my departure from the area and beginning the long, reflective journey back down south to Southampton. It was a whirlwind spring escape, but a spectacular reminder of why the Clio 172 is the ultimate driver's companion for the UK's most demanding roads