THE STORY OF SHAP

Before the motorways there were only two major roads linking England and Scotland the AI to the East and the A6 to the West.

The A6 over Shap Fell was the most hazardous, and has become a legend throughout the kingdom – people will still say Shap oh yes, that place that gets blocked by snow in winter!”

The section North of Kendall to Shap the worst 16 miles began as a drover’s trail, then a pack-horse track, and subsequently a road of importance. Nowadays it’s a backwater and tourist route.

We trace the history of the road using rare archive film, hear reminiscences from drivers and residents and film in detail a convoy of historic vehicles as they relive the journey from Kendall to Shap.

We see the unveiling of a memorial to drivers of the past at Shap Summit, and chart the rapid changes brought about by the opening of the M6 as the new major route to Scotland.