A684 and A65 going from South Yorkshire to Scotland

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belgarion
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A684 and A65 going from South Yorkshire to Scotland

Post by belgarion »

Hi, I'm going on a trip up to Scotland from South Yorkshire, I have been many many times and I was looking for a bit of an alternative route.

I've done the A1, A66, M6 route, A1 all the way, A1 & A68, the A1 & A697 etc etc

What I was thinking of doing was go up the A1 to Leeming, then take the A684 through Aysgarth etc then onto the M6, or leave the A1 early and go through Ripon then onto the A684.

And possibly on the return journey, come down the M6, and take the A65 past Settle ,onto the M62 and home.

What are these roads like, I'm not too fussed about speed cameras, I do around 28,000 miles a year, so I'm well used to seeing them about. I'll be on my holidays, so not in a great hurry.

Vince
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Post by DavidBrown »

Although mostly NSL, you have no need to worry about speed cameras on either the A684 or the A6108 (the Ripon to Leyburn road) - partially because there aren't any but mostly because doing 60 along these roads would probably get you killed at some point.

The A684 is a very scenic road west of Leyburn - I've only ever been as far as Hawes but certaintly Hawes itself is a pretty village. I'd take the A61/A6108 to Leyburn - mainly because the A1 is not a great road, and not as scenic as the northern parts of the A6108.
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Post by rob6117 »

The A65 isn't a bad road but you have to hit it at the right time - it can and frequently does get clogged up with slow holiday traffic and you can wait ages to get through Ilkley. Given a free run its a good road though and reasonably scenic.

One thing you could do is head south on the A65 to Skipton and then take the A59 over to Harrogate and the A1(M). This misses out Leeds and Bradford, does a scenic stretch over the moors past Blubberhouses and then gets you reasonably quickly to the motorway if you take the A661/A658 diversion around Knaresborough.

The A684 west of Hawes through Sedbergh to the M6 is great for scenery (Garsdale, Howgills) but is oh so slow. Very windy and no places to overtake the inevitable caravans that block your path....
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Post by Chris5156 »

rob6117 wrote:The A65 isn't a bad road but you have to hit it at the right time - it can and frequently does get clogged up with slow holiday traffic and you can wait ages to get through Ilkley. Given a free run its a good road though and reasonably scenic.

One thing you could do is head south on the A65 to Skipton and then take the A59 over to Harrogate and the A1(M). This misses out Leeds and Bradford, does a scenic stretch over the moors past Blubberhouses and then gets you reasonably quickly to the motorway if you take the A661/A658 diversion around Knaresborough.
I'd recommend this. Ilkley is horrible at most times of the day, and the fastest way from the end of the A65 to the motorway is through the middle of Leeds. You would need a very carefully timed journey to avoid sitting around in traffic.

Going via the A59 takes you onto another very scenic road just as the A65 is getting more mundane, and it really is a cracking road towards Harrogate. Not just nice scenery but a genuinely enjoyable road to drive.

A684 is also very pleasant, but leave plenty of time, it's not a fast road by any stretch of the imagination!
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Post by haymansafc »

belgarion wrote:
What are these roads like, I’m not too fussed about speed cameras, I do around 28,000 miles a year, so I’m well used to seeing them about. I’ll be on my holidays, so not in a great hurry.

Vince
I would have personally suggested the A1/A66/M6 option, but you’ve done that before!

I’m never in a great hurry on my holiday journeys and it usually takes me anything up to seven hours to get from here in west Cheshire down to North Devon, with two or three stops along the way. The journey has always been treated as a part of the holiday and certainly one of the highlights. Sadly, with numerous roadworks now starting and littering the first half of our established route when we go down in September (severe delays expected on two sets), it looks like the rather dull but 30-odd miles longer M56/M6/M5 option this time around.

Anyway, the A684 is a great road but I certainly wouldn’t recommend it as a trans-pennine route if you were to be in a hurry. It’s rather ‘wibbly wobbly’ for much of it’s length and more like a B road, although speed limits are indeed mostly NSL (which you wouldn’t want to try anyway as David says!) or reasonable for the conditions. Hawes has to be one of the highlights along the A684 although can be very busy and slow during the weekend with coaches and lots of day visitors and tourists.

I don’t have much experience of the A65 unfortunately. I’ve only ever really driven it from Ingleton to Skipton a few times (I’m usually on B roads whenever I’m in this area more often than anything else), but from my own experience it was reasonably clear with a decent pace of traffic.

At least going along the A684 you won’t really miss out on the best of the scenery on the M6, or indeed any motorway we have on our network. The lot of the M6 from roughly Junction 35 all the way up to 40 is glorious, between 37 (where you’ll join from the A684) to 38 (Tebay, A685 - another cracking road) is my own personal favourite section.
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Post by Ian198 »

If you're really not in a hurry, the B6270 parallel to and north the A684 is a great road - and Reeth is a good place to stop, with pubs and village green.
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Post by stu531 »

Chris5156 wrote:Going via the A59 takes you onto another very scenic road just as the A65 is getting more mundane, and it really is a cracking road towards Harrogate. Not just nice scenery but a genuinely enjoyable road to drive.

A684 is also very pleasant, but leave plenty of time, it's not a fast road by any stretch of the imagination!
Agree with both these points.. the A684 from A1 to M6 is great but takes an age!

The A59 across from Harrogate to Skipton is a personal favourite of mine, but watch out - at the moment, Beamsley Bank is suffering from the case of 40mph limits due to cones.

And something else bad - gadzooks - installation of refuges up the western slopes. Not good! The stretch from Bolton Abbey heading uphill to Kex Gill is going to be limited to 50 (the permanent signs are up now) -this is such a shame 'cos it is a fantastic drive if you want somewhere to welly it!!
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Post by Bryn666 »

Oh, what a shame re the A59 - I used to love that road... Might have to take my new car for a spin on it again to rekindle old times :D
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belgarion
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Post by belgarion »

rob6117 wrote:The A684 west of Hawes through Sedbergh to the M6 is great for scenery (Garsdale, Howgills) but is oh so slow. Very windy and no places to overtake the inevitable caravans that block your path....
I don't often find overtaking much problem, if I'm in no hurry, I allow plenty of space for others to overtake me, otherwise I find having a motor with an auto-box and the right side of 200bhp makes for swift overtaking :wink:

Thanks for all the replies guys, I think I will take the A684 despite a few people saying it can be a bit slow, will make any time up on the M6 / A74, though we are not in too much of a hurry as we've only got to reach Kincardine on the first day, and we're travelling on a Thursday rather than the weekend.

I've done all the way from Fort William to South Yorkshire before, not a good idea with a kid in the back.

We're having a couple of nights at Kincardine, taking the little one to see the Falkirk Wheel, and Thomas the Tank Engine at Bo'ness, before heading up to Fort William on Saturday, hopefully we'll be ahead of most other traffic on the Saturday for the trip through Glen Coe.

Vince
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Post by haymansafc »

belgarion wrote: I’ve done all the way from Fort William to South Yorkshire before, not a good idea with a kid in the back.

We’re having a couple of nights at Kincardine, taking the little one to see the Falkirk Wheel, and Thomas the Tank Engine at Bo’ness, before heading up to Fort William on Saturday, hopefully we’ll be ahead of most other traffic on the Saturday for the trip through Glen Coe.

Vince
The A684 certainly isn’t a bad road, it’s very good indeed, but as I said, it’s ‘wibbly wobbly’ for much of it’s length and can be a real time killer.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the trip up to Fort William, I was there myself (stayed at Loch Lomond and driven up) at the start of June. The A82 though Glen Coe is probably one of the best roads that I know of throughout the UK - the scenery alone is stunning. Just beware of suicidal idiots travelling in excess of motorways speeds along the long straights on the approach from the south though. I always stop in a large, deep gravel lay-by opposite the Three Sisters whenever I’m up that way.

The steam train ride (it’s only on certain days though) from Fort William to Mallaig is brilliant, but not something I’d personally recommend with kids in tow. Otherwise a great ride I’d recommend to anyone, worth every penny and certainly for those with interests for old trains from yesteryear.
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Post by stu531 »

Can I offer, as a suggestion, that you take the A1 up to the B6267, and joining up the A6108 at Masham, rather than travelling via Ripon? Might just save you a bit of time.
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Post by owen b »

And you can cut the A6108/A684 corner and bypass Leyburn. The shortcut is actually signposted from the A6108, I think it says Hawes (A684) on the signpost. I've done A1/Masham/A6108/Aysgarth, Hawes, Sedbergh A684 a couple of times lately. It's a very nice route.
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Kielder Forest

Post by Meriadoc »

A1, A68, A69, then north onto the A6079 at Hexham, then B6320 nearly all the way to Bellingham, then take the road through the Kielder Forest. Cross the Border into Scotland and arrive on to the B6357 at Saughtree. Take the B6357 north to Bonchester Bridge then the A6088 across to the A698 turn left and meet the A7 at Hawick. Take the A7 north from Hawick to Edinburgh.

You should find this an interesting and scenic drive. Does the Kielder Forest Road have a number? Is it still tolled?
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belgarion
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Re: A684 and A65 going from South Yorkshire to Scotland

Post by belgarion »

Ancient thread resurrection, and it was my first post on here back in 2007.

Reminded of this post because once again I will be heading up to Scotland soon, but the choices of roads are narrower now.
My wife insists we go up the A68 as she wants yet another photo of us at the border at Carter Bar, we have gone this way many times over the years so its to add to the history of our son growing up, this year he's 19 so may not be travelling as often with us on our journeys north.

Return journey is easy, M74, A66, A1, it seems to be the quickest route especially as it'll be all the way from Aberdeen, going north our initial destination is near Stirling.

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Re: A684 and A65 going from South Yorkshire to Scotland

Post by Was92now625 »

belgarion wrote: Thu Jul 15, 2021 13:44 Ancient thread resurrection, and it was my first post on here back in 2007.

Reminded of this post because once again I will be heading up to Scotland soon, but the choices of roads are narrower now.
My wife insists we go up the A68 as she wants yet another photo of us at the border at Carter Bar, we have gone this way many times over the years so its to add to the history of our son growing up, this year he's 19 so may not be travelling as often with us on our journeys north.

Return journey is easy, M74, A66, A1, it seems to be the quickest route especially as it'll be all the way from Aberdeen, going north our initial destination is near Stirling.

Vince
I suspect that you are based further east within SY but I have rarely done the A66 route, partly as it would mean crossing Sheffield (only to "cross back" again on A66 and then "cross again" around A80/A9), instead enduring the bottleneck at Glossop, Mottram etc followed by the (if at the wrong time of day, slow) M60. Last time I did A66 was simply because it had been a fairly long time since I last did it !
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Re: A684 and A65 going from South Yorkshire to Scotland

Post by jabbaboy »

What about via Alston through Teesdale. Some lovely roads across there, good quality aswell even known they're B roads. It's only 30 minutes longer than the A66 / M6 aswell and you'd miss the awful A66 especially with holiday traffic off to the lakes.

If you weren't in a rush could go across to Dumfries and use the A76 over the Southern Uplands another lovely road.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Stirlin ... 0c!1m0!3e0

If she insisted on the A68, another option could be divert off at Galashiels and cut across the A72 then work your way North, I know there's a B road but it's better than most A roads. Mean you miss Edinburgh off aswell like:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Stirlin ... 93!1m0!3e0
belgarion
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Re: A684 and A65 going from South Yorkshire to Scotland

Post by belgarion »

Was92now625 wrote: Thu Jul 15, 2021 17:17 I suspect that you are based further east within SY but I have rarely done the A66 route, partly as it would mean crossing Sheffield (only to "cross back" again on A66 and then "cross again" around A80/A9), instead enduring the bottleneck at Glossop, Mottram etc followed by the (if at the wrong time of day, slow) M60. Last time I did A66 was simply because it had been a fairly long time since I last did it !
Yeah, we're over the far side of Doncaster so dropping onto the A1 is dead easy for us.
jabbaboy wrote: Thu Jul 15, 2021 23:44 What about via Alston through Teesdale. Some lovely roads across there, good quality aswell even known they're B roads. It's only 30 minutes longer than the A66 / M6 aswell and you'd miss the awful A66 especially with holiday traffic off to the lakes.

If you weren't in a rush could go across to Dumfries and use the A76 over the Southern Uplands another lovely road.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Stirlin ... 0c!1m0!3e0

If she insisted on the A68, another option could be divert off at Galashiels and cut across the A72 then work your way North, I know there's a B road but it's better than most A roads. Mean you miss Edinburgh off aswell like:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Stirlin ... 93!1m0!3e0
Some interesting roads there, we've done the Dumfries roads, stayed there and in Ayr, decent roads for most of it.
That road going from Carlisle to Barnard Castle looks interesting, it has potential for the return journey.
I also like the A72 route, no sooner have you left Carter Bar and it'll be a road I've never been on, I might just give that one a go, last year we we're actually going to Edinburgh but if the City Bypass can be avoided then I'm all for that one.

Glad I resurected this thread now :D

Vince
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Re: A684 and A65 going from South Yorkshire to Scotland

Post by A72 »

jabbaboy wrote: Thu Jul 15, 2021 23:44If she insisted on the A68, another option could be divert off at Galashiels and cut across the A72 then work your way North, I know there's a B road but it's better than most A roads. Mean you miss Edinburgh off aswell like:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Stirlin ... 93!1m0!3e0
Yes, don't be put-off by the b-road. The B7016 is a nice run, and is very quiet, as everyone else takes the A706.
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Re: A684 and A65 going from South Yorkshire to Scotland

Post by A72 »

belgarion wrote: Fri Jul 16, 2021 13:34I also like the A72 route, no sooner have you left Carter Bar and it'll be a road I've never been on, I might just give that one a go, last year we we're actually going to Edinburgh but if the City Bypass can be avoided then I'm all for that one.

Glad I resurected this thread now :D

Vince
You're thinking of the A6088, which leaves the A68 straight after Carter Bar. This is also a nice route, and brings you onto the A698, on the outskirts of Hawick, where you can then join the A7.

If you have lots of time, then leave the A7 at Selkirk, and follow the A707/A708/B709, which will bring you onto the A72 at Innerleithen. There is also nice wee pub at the A708/B709 crossroads.
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Re: A684 and A65 going from South Yorkshire to Scotland

Post by jabbaboy »

belgarion wrote: Fri Jul 16, 2021 13:34 Some interesting roads there, we've done the Dumfries roads, stayed there and in Ayr, decent roads for most of it.
That road going from Carlisle to Barnard Castle looks interesting, it has potential for the return journey.
I also like the A72 route, no sooner have you left Carter Bar and it'll be a road I've never been on, I might just give that one a go, last year we we're actually going to Edinburgh but if the City Bypass can be avoided then I'm all for that one.

Glad I resurected this thread now :D

Vince
No worries, lovely road across Teesdale / Alston. Just got to watch out for idiotic bikers heading towards Hartside but lovely scenery. The A6088 is a nice little road aswell, much better than the A68 which after Carter Bar is a bit of a drag imo apart from the bit over the hills after Carfraemill plus you miss the Edinburgh Bypass which can be a nightmare. Mind I'd probably recommend checking the traffic on whether doing the A68 all the way from Darlington as the A1 around Newcastle / Gateshead can be a bit of a bottleneck lately with the 2 widening schemes.
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