Hartside Pass
A686 · Penrith → Alston · England
- Length
- 20 miles
- Drive time
- 30 min
- Type
- Mountain pass
- Region
- England
Before you go: Summit can close in winter storms
Once voted one of the world's great drives by the AA: from Penrith the A686 climbs the North Pennines scarp in long engineered loops to Hartside Top (580 m), with the whole Eden Valley and the Lakes laid out behind you, then drops to England's highest market town at Alston.
Highlights of the Hartside Pass
- Hartside Top viewpoint
- Engineered hairpin loops
- Alston, England's highest market town
Drive the Hartside Pass
Open Hartside Pass on the map → ⬇ Download GPX
GPX works with Garmin, TomTom, Beeline and most bike sat-navs. Free, no sign-up — these are indicative waypoints, so follow the road signs, not the arrow.
Plot it, add it to a club run with a meeting point and pit stops, then share the whole trip as one link. Free, no account, works offline.
Route research: Venture Bound
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