A686 road

A686 shield
A686
The A686 below Hartside - geograph.org.uk - 1073084.jpg
The A686 looking east below Hartside
Route information
Maintained by
Length36.5 mi[1] (58.7 km)
Major junctions
South endPenrith
54°39′19″N 2°44′32″W / 54.6554°N 2.7423°W / 54.6554; -2.7423 (A686 road (southwestern end))
Major intersections A66
A6
A689
A69
North endHaydon Bridge
54°58′23″N 2°14′10″W / 54.9730°N 2.2361°W / 54.9730; -2.2361 (A686 road (northeastern end))
Location
CountryUnited Kingdom
Constituent countryEngland
TownsAlston
Villages
Road network

The A686 is a road in Northern England. It runs from Penrith in Cumbria to Haydon Bridge in Northumberland. AA Magazine named the A686 as one of their "Ten Great Drives"[2] owing to the dramatic scenery of the North Pennines hills encountered along its route. Travel journalist Phil Llewellin said:

England’s great wilderness sprawls across the northern Pennines, where the mountains have fascinating names such as Fiend’s Fell and Wildboar Fell. Penrith merits a visit after leaving the M6, and memories of the motorway fade as the A686 crosses the River Eden valley. The mood changes dramatically in Melmerby, where the road starts its long climb to the cafe at Hartside, 1,900 feet (580 m) above sea level, with stunning views across the Solway Firth and Scotland. The road leads to Alston, which claims to be England’s highest market town, a charming little place with cobbled streets and quaint buildings. The A686 beyond Alston crosses another breathtaking expanse of windswept upland before running down to the River Allen's beautiful wooded gorge.

— Phil Llewellin, via Visit Cumbria[2]
  1. ^ "Driving directions to A686". Google Maps. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
  2. ^ a b "A686 Penrith to Corbridge – A Great Drive". Visit Cumbria. Retrieved 14 February 2021.