B6255

Newby Head Moss

The B6255 crosses the Yorkshire Dales.

Originally the road started on the A683 to the south of Tunstall and headed east via Burton in Lonsdale to meet the A65 to the west of Ingleton. This section was soon upgraded to Class I status, becoming the A687, which was one of the first road numbers to be reused.

The B6255 originally crossed the A65 to enter Ingleton from the west before crossing the River Greta and going along Seed Hill; it continued using this route following the inauguration of the A687 and was only moved onto its current route comparatively recently. The road now starts on the A65 on the left bank of the River Greta to run along Croft Road and reach the road's original line in the High Street.

The road leaves town and climbs up into the hills, soon entering the Yorkshire Dales National Park. It follows the valley of the River Doe, along the lower slopes of Ingleborough, before going through the tiny village of Chapel-le-Dale. The road then climbs up to the top of the moors before descending gently towards the Ribblehead Viaduct on the Settle to Carlisle line. As it happens the road passes to the south of the viaduct, going under the line at a more usual bridge by Ribblehead station.

The next turn to the right is the B6479, after which the road runs along the headwaters of the River Ribble and beginning to climb once more. It crosses Gayle Moor to reach a summit - and watershed - nearly 1500 feet up. The road descends into the next valley, Widdale, and soon becomes far less bleak, although there are only scattered buildings on this stretch. A couple of miles later the road decides the valley is heading in the wrong direction and so bears to the right to cross an escarpment and then descend Turfy Hill to reach the edge of Hawes. After passing the youth hostel the road ends at a T-junction on the A684 to the west of the town centre.