A66 Scotch Corner to Penrith

[Twilkes]

Not that I'm going to be doing this route any time soon, but what would be the recommended cycle route between these two places? The A66 definitely seemed like one of those A roads that you don't want to be cycling on.

 

[PaulSB]

Pick up the Peninne Cycleway. Great route.

 

[Twilkes]

Any road-only routes?

 

[Sea of vapours]

Either of the attached is nice. Well, nice by my standards anyway. Lumpy-ish and scenic. I'd probably favour the southern of the two, with a variation on that being to take the road up to Tan Hill from Reeth, rather than along Swaledale, and drop into Kirkby Stephen via Nateby.

I can't vouch for the first section of the first one, from Scotch Corner to about half way to Barnard Castle, but the rest of the roads are good. The quieter route is the southern one. The road from BC to Middleton and beyond is not busy as such, but it's busy relative to most of the others in both routes.

I'd not want to cycle on the A66 at any point between those two places. It's tolerable, just about, beyond Penrith, but otherwise very busy and very fast.

GPX viewer

GPX viewer

 

[andrew_s]

Cycle.travel says Middleton Tyas (assuming you are actually starting at Scotch Corner), Barton, Barnard Castle, NCN 70 across Sleightholme Moor to the Tan Hill and Kirkby Stephen, back roads to Penrith. Alternatively you could go to the Tan Hill via Richmond, Reeth and Arkengarthdale.

Sleightholme Moor track (2.5 miles)

https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/366190

 

[PaulSB]

Any road-only routes?

The Pennine Cycleway, NCN68, on this section is road only or at least it was 10+ years ago.

 

[OldShep]

Back in the mid 1960s there was nothing wrong with cycling on the A66. Living on the side of the road near Greta Bridge as a teenager I was constantly cycling it between Bowes and Scotch.
depending a lot on where you are exactly starting I’d probably choose Richmond, Arkengathdale, Tan Hill route.
Starting more on the Nth side of SC you can get to Barnard Castle via lanes and cross the A66 for the Stang Arkengathdale.
I used to use Alston Middleton in Teesdale a lot but I was always heading for Darlington.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Even in the 80s , a lot of the A roads were still fine to cycle on. But since traffic has more than tripled, and roads “upgraded” to be less cycle friendly, not now.