The A59, which runs east to west across England between Harrogate and Preston, is a demarcation line. Above that line, thanks to the Pennines and the National Parks, head off in any direction, and you will discover good roads to ride.
In this abundance of excellent roads, there is a natural order to their greatness. The free motorcycle touring routes through the Yorkshire Dales National Park are one example, but there are more.
Starting roughly 5 miles east of Hexham in Northumberland, where the A68 and the A69 meet at the Styford roundabout, the “Hexham 120” quickly departs the popular main roads in favour of the abundance of twisting, turning B roads, heading north towards Rothbury.
There are short runs on the main arterial roads, but we have kept these to a minimum; there are way too many stunning views and glorious bends to enjoy, to spend time dealing with tourist traffic.
Looping over the top at Rothbury, the route south takes in Billsmoor Park and clips the edge of the Kielder Forest Park before passing through Hexham and on towards the Derwent Reservoir.
You leave Barnard Castle, heading east on the A688, which, considering our desire to avoid tourist-laden roads, might seem odd, but 10 miles along the A688, just before West Auckland, there is a Jet Garage (Post Code DL14 9PB) that always has very low petrol prices.
At the end of testing this route, I filled up there with E5 for less than the price most other garages are selling E10. It is well worth a visit to support them.
Other than that, download, ride, and enjoy. What could possibly go wrong?
When importing GPX files, your GPS or Phone navigation app will recalulate the route based on your navigation preferences. We add waypoints to hopefully minimise any differences, but it is always worth double-checking.
If you have a route that you would like to share, get in touch and with the Editor, and we will do our best to include it. Download, ride and enjoy. What could possibly go wrong? All the motorcycle touring routes are GPX 1.1 version files.
All of the motorcycle touring routes are provided “as is” without guarantee, liability or any assurances. The lawyers said we had to include that sentence. All we can tell you is that we had an excellent time planning and riding them.
Free Motorcycle Touring Routes
Hexham 120 - The Route
Free Motorcycle Touring Routes
Points to Ponder
It’s a good idea to have a full tank of fuel at the start. There are a few garages along the route, but they are well spaced out.
Some of the towns on the route have Saturday markets and events on public holidays. The traffic can back up, and the random direction changes when a parking spot is seen can be “entertaining.”
The road surfaces are mainly decent, but a few sections would benefit from top dressing.
There are a handful of uphill, tight hairpins that make Stelvio look like a three-lane motorway.
They are easy enough if you know they are coming. The first is just after the old bridge that crosses the River Wear in Stanhope, and the next two are half a mile further along the B6278.
Crossing the Durham Dales, heading for Barnard Castle, offers spectacular views. The road climbs to 1,600 feet (490 meters), so it can get a little breezy.
I did spot several signs for what I’m sure are superb cafes, but I was enjoying myself too much to think about stopping. If anyone has any recommendations, please put them in the comments.
The route ends at the Jet Petrol Station on the A688, just outside West Auckland – Low Cost Fuel.
