England
North Pennines
England's quiet high country — big climbs, few cars.
- Road guides
- 3
- Miles covered
- ≈ 61
- Twistiest
- Hartside Pass
- Nation
- England
The North Pennines are remote, high and far less busy than the Lakes next door. Alston, one of the highest market towns in England, sits at the centre of a web of excellent moorland roads.
Long, fast, sweeping climbs over open fell, with exposed summits and serious weather. Traffic is light outside summer weekends.
Road guides
Roads in the North Pennines
Hartside Pass
The A686 climbs from the Eden Valley up a series of long hairpins to Hartside Top, one of the highest points on an A-road in England, then crosses the moor to Alston. It is a legendary biking road.
Alston to Stanhope
The A689 crosses the North Pennines past Nenthead and Killhope into Weardale. It climbs high, runs fast and passes the old lead-mining landscape that shaped this remote area.
Teesdale Road
The B6277 follows the Tees upstream past High Force waterfall, then climbs across wild fell to Alston. Traffic is light, the surface is generally good and the scenery gets wilder with every mile.