Less than two weeks to our SW Scotland hols. Usually we go all the way up the A1 from Peterborough and cross over on the A66.
This time we will break the journey in Kendal Fri PM and I wonder about the best route from the A1 to Kendal.
A59/A65 from Wetherby to Kendal? Will it be busy Friday afternoon?
What about the "scenic" A684 across The Dales.....too slow a route??
Thanks.
David W
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David
This is a truly beautiful part of the UK.
I have travelled across the dales on the A684 from Sedburgh to Leyburn and onto the A1 many times. It is a very good road, very scenic (motoring link) and allows you to join the M6 at J37, just north of Killington Services (where I earned my first ever pay packet).
I am not sure about the current traffic, but the A66 is far more preferable to hgv's than this route, so it should take about the same time. I haven't travelled the A65 route as far as I remember, so cannot comment.
Enjoy
Jonathan
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David,
As Jonathan says, the A1/A684 is a good road & there is a bit more to see en-route as it goes right through Yorks Dales National Park. If you need to stop for a break, there's a few good places...Aysgarth Falls are nice (but a bit of a walk from car park, as I remember) & a bit further on, there's Hawes.
A65 is OK, but not as scenic in parts. Also, as I remember it was a bit busy round Knaresborough/Harrogate & further on round Skipton last time I was there (though was a couple of years ago) but still might be worth avoiding if you'll be in the area Friday afternoon-ish. There are a few HGVs on this route too.
Have a good trip,
Phill
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Hi David,
As fate would have it, I travelled a very scenic route over the A59 from Wetherby to Skipton (which goes eventually to Kendal).
If you travel up the A1 until after the A64 and carry on to the A659 signposted to Harewood House (worth a visit if you've time, lovely tea & cakes) and then you can go off to Harrogate or follow on to Skipton and thus onto the M6 and Kendal.
The road is really pretty and despite being a Sunday afternoon, and therefore filled with people doddering about in doom blue Xantias and Nutter bikers in about equal measure, it was a really pleasant drive.
It's quite twisty as you head further west, but you might appreciate the hilly countryside after the level fens. You also pass by the "Golf Balls" at Menworth Hill, an interesting sight.
I'll write more as I work out exactly the route I took,
HTH,
Lee.
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Lee H wrote
>>As fate would have it, I travelled a very scenic route over the A59 from Wetherby to Skipton (which goes eventually to Kendal).
Should add that this is interesting only because it was Yesterday!
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Oh, and
Friday afternoon / night is fine, we often do the run over there towards Keswick at that time.
The A66 is an awful road from Brough to Penrith, lots of large lorries rushing around and only a very narrow stretch of tarmac.
If you shuffle over the A57 (or the road through Stoke A500?) and up the M1, you could take the A628 cutting through from Barnsley to Manchester (and then M60, M62, M6 to Kendall) is fairly pretty but again the trafic is a bit iffy and you'll still end up driving a lot of the time on motorways. Taking the A57 Snake Pass through Sheffield to Glossop is a tremendous run, marvellous scenery and nice driving but you'll suffer badly in the traffic through Sheffield and equally at the Manchester side where it joins the A628 (just outside Ashton).
In a frenzy of LAC-style posting without reading properly the previous posts first,
Lee
PS - if you go over the A66 you'll have to drive south again to get to Kendall. And if you go pass Westmoorland Services just after the Tebay turning, it's definitely worth popping in to have tea & cakes overlooking the duck-pond!
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David
The A684 is lovely. But these roads across and through the dales can be truly awful in the rain, so it's worth checking the weather. I hear it's been very bad on the West side of the Pennines recently. The A69 from Newcastle to Carlisle is also lovely, quite fast, and better in the wet. I actually prefer it to the A66, but it's way too far north for Kendal, so maybe for another time.
If you decide on the A59/A65 route, Ingleton is a good spot to stop for a leg stretch.
Cheers
Chris
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Thanks so far guys. I've been working the AA on-line route planner with a few "via's" to get these variations printed out.
What do you mean about the rain Chris, grotty driving conditions with spray or localised flooding?
I've just fitted a new drivers side spoiler wiper, will that get me through?
David W
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That and the 'high' suspension setting!
Regards
John S
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Just generally rotten conditions with spray from trucks and other vehicles going the other way. The spray is often very mud-laden. You won't see any scenery, and the drive will be tiring. Although these are A-roads, they twist and turn quite a lot, which is fun in the dry, but miserable in the rain. In those circumstances I'd rather take the quick route.
Chris
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Rare for me to have such specific knowledge of a question here. It comes from living in Kendal and having a daughter and grandchildren in Scarborough.
It all depends on how you feel on the day and what you are driving. Unless time is no object and nerves very steady, don't do the A684 from Garsdale Head to Kendal with a van, wide trailer, motor home or, worst of all, a caravan. The locals will take you hostage. Otherwise it's lovely providing an average speed of about 30 is acceptable.
By the way , the road system in Kendal has been entirely changed.It hasn't saved any time, but it has meant that far more visitors get lost and even a few locals have been seen driving aimlessly around the town centre trying to get out.
Have fun. Colin S
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Colin,
I think we might take the A684 and consider it as part of the holiday rather than a route to get to the final destination.... hence no rush.
In fact it may be best to get to the A1 end of the A684 just before lunch and find a child friendly place to stop at the start of the Dales National Park.
30mph average will do for that leg of the journey in a smooth riding car with no attachments!
David W
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David,
Sorry my absence from the site prevented an earlier answer, bit late in the day, used to live in Ilkley, so Dales are old stamping ground.
A684 is a good choice, Askrigg is worth a diversion if you remember All Creatures Great and Small. Mind you if you are feeling particularly in need of wild and woolly motoring why not hang a right at Hawes, over Buttertubs pass and join the B6270 into Kirby Stephen? I guess the girls are too young to appreciate a pint at Britain`s (England`s?) highest pub @ Tan Hill?
As for the weather question, if its truly horrid the Ure floods very quickly, but looking at the forecast you’ll be OK. BTW the B6270 is the only place I’ve seen it rain uphill due to the wind blowing up the escarpment.
Plenty of decent places to stay with horsey interests around Middleham/ Leyburn and I seem to recall Bedale was quite nice last time I called, long time ago now.
A65 is too busy too slow and the scenery is nowhere near as good. Plus the drag through Leeds/Bradford is exactly that a drag.
Cheers,
Stuart
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