A689 road
Encyclopedia
The A689 is a road in northern England
, that runs east from Junction 44 of the M6 motorway
, 2.5 miles (4 km) north of the centre of Carlisle in Cumbria
, to Hartlepool
, in the North East
.
From Junction 44 of the M6, the A689 runs roughly south-east to a roundabout
, with the B6264. From here, the A689 heads east, and crosses the River Irthing
at Ruleholme
, then it meets the A69
at a roundabout junction. The A689 joins the route of
the A69 around part of the Brampton
bypass. Near the village of Milton, the A689 turns right, and continues through Milton and Hallbankgate before crossing the border into the county of Northumberland
.
The route continues roughly south-east, and re-enters the county of Cumbria just north of small market town of Alston
. After passing through Alston, the A689 eventually crosses the border into County Durham
, where the route still heads gradually south-east through Weardale
. At Killhope Cross
between Killhope and Nenthead the road reaches a height of 2056 feet (626.7 m), making it the equal highest paved pass in England (or 3rd highest A road in England.)
At a roundabout with the A68
, the A689 briefly joins the route of the A690
, before turning right in the town of Crook
(for a few years has bypassed Crook town centre and now uses a new bypass). Heading south-easterly still, the A689 encounters the town of Bishop Auckland
, where it temporarily heads north-easterly (where it merges with the A688
), before setting off in an easterly direction north of Bishop Auckland.
The A689 meets the A167
at the Rushyford roundabout
, then shortly comes across the A1(M) at Junction 60. The A689 by-passes the town of Sedgefield
, and becomes dual carriageway
standard for the remainder of the route, after the section between Sedgefield and Wynyard was upgraded to dual carriageway in 2001. The A689 meets the A19
near Wolviston
, before turning north-east and eventually terminating close to the centre of Hartlepool
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, that runs east from Junction 44 of the M6 motorway
M6 motorway
The M6 motorway runs from junction 19 of the M1 at the Catthorpe Interchange, near Rugby via Birmingham then heads north, passing Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Preston, Carlisle and terminating at the Gretna junction . Here, just short of the Scottish border it becomes the A74 which continues to...
, 2.5 miles (4 km) north of the centre of Carlisle in Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
, to Hartlepool
Hartlepool
Hartlepool is a town and port in North East England.It was founded in the 7th century AD, around the Northumbrian monastery of Hartlepool Abbey. The village grew during the Middle Ages and developed a harbour which served as the official port of the County Palatine of Durham. A railway link from...
, in the North East
North East England
North East England is one of the nine official regions of England. It covers Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne and Wear, and Teesside . The only cities in the region are Durham, Newcastle upon Tyne and Sunderland...
.
From Junction 44 of the M6, the A689 runs roughly south-east to a roundabout
Roundabout
A roundabout is the name for a road junction in which traffic moves in one direction around a central island. The word dates from the early 20th century. Roundabouts are common in many countries around the world...
, with the B6264. From here, the A689 heads east, and crosses the River Irthing
River Irthing
The River Irthing is a river in Cumbria, England and a major tributary of the River Eden.Rising in the hills around Paddaburn Moor in Border Forest Park, for the first 15 miles of its journey south it defines the border between Northumberland and Cumbria. After passing Butterburn Flow raised bog,...
at Ruleholme
Ruleholme
Ruleholme is a small hamlet on the A689 road and the River Irthing, near the village of Irthington, in the City of Carlisle district, in the English county of Cumbria...
, then it meets the A69
A69 road
The A69 is a major road in northern England, running east-west across the Pennines, through the counties of Tyne and Wear, Northumberland and Cumbria. Originally the road started in Blaydon, but since the creation of the A1 Western Bypass around Newcastle upon Tyne, it now starts at Denton Burn a...
at a roundabout junction. The A689 joins the route of
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
the A69 around part of the Brampton
Brampton, Carlisle, Cumbria
Brampton is a small market town and civil parish within the City of Carlisle district of Cumbria, England about 9 miles east of Carlisle and 2 miles south of Hadrian's Wall. It is situated off the A69 road which bypasses it...
bypass. Near the village of Milton, the A689 turns right, and continues through Milton and Hallbankgate before crossing the border into the county of Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
.
The route continues roughly south-east, and re-enters the county of Cumbria just north of small market town of Alston
Alston, Cumbria
Alston is a small town in Cumbria, England on the River South Tyne. It is one of the highest elevation towns in the country, at about 1,000 feet above sea level.-Geography:...
. After passing through Alston, the A689 eventually crosses the border into County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
, where the route still heads gradually south-east through Weardale
Weardale
Weardale is a dale, or valley, of the east side of the Pennines in County Durham, in England. Large parts of Weardale fall within the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - the second largest AONB in England and Wales. The upper valley is surrounded by high fells and heather grouse...
. At Killhope Cross
Killhope Cross
Killhope Cross is a mountain pass in the English Pennines. The pass divides Weardale to the east and Cumbria to the west. The road over the pass, the from Hartlepool to Carlisle, Cumbria, connects the towns of Cornriggs and Alston, Cumbria...
between Killhope and Nenthead the road reaches a height of 2056 feet (626.7 m), making it the equal highest paved pass in England (or 3rd highest A road in England.)
At a roundabout with the A68
A68 road
The A68 is a major road in the United Kingdom, running from Darlington in England to the A720 in Scotland.From Darlington, the road runs north, bypassing Bishop Auckland, and running through West Auckland, Toft Hill and Tow Law, past Consett and Corbridge...
, the A689 briefly joins the route of the A690
A690 road
The A690 is a road in County Durham running from Sunderland in the east through Durham to Crook.-Sunderland section:Throughout the Sunderland section it is known as either Durham Road or New Durham Road, and is one of the major routes in and out of the city. A single carriageway section runs from...
, before turning right in the town of Crook
Crook, County Durham
Crook is a market town in County Durham, England. It is situated about 10 miles south-west of Durham.Crook lies a couple of miles north of the River Wear, on the A690 from Durham...
(for a few years has bypassed Crook town centre and now uses a new bypass). Heading south-easterly still, the A689 encounters the town of Bishop Auckland
Bishop Auckland
Bishop Auckland is a market town and civil parish in County Durham in north east England. It is located about northwest of Darlington and southwest of Durham at the confluence of the River Wear with its tributary the River Gaunless...
, where it temporarily heads north-easterly (where it merges with the A688
A688 road
The A688 is a road in County Durham in North East England.It begins at the junction with the A67 road in Barnard Castle and continues in a north easterly direction for , terminating at the A181 to the east of Durham City....
), before setting off in an easterly direction north of Bishop Auckland.
The A689 meets the A167
A167 road
The A167 is a road in North East England. Most of its route was formerly the A1 as most of it is the original route of the Great North Road until the A1 was re-routed with the opening of the A1 in the 1960s....
at the Rushyford roundabout
Roundabout
A roundabout is the name for a road junction in which traffic moves in one direction around a central island. The word dates from the early 20th century. Roundabouts are common in many countries around the world...
, then shortly comes across the A1(M) at Junction 60. The A689 by-passes the town of Sedgefield
Sedgefield
Sedgefield is a small town and civil parish in County Durham, England. It has a population of 4,534.Sedgefield has attracted particular attention as the Member of Parliament for the wider Sedgefield constituency was the former Prime Minister Tony Blair; he was the area's MP from 1983 to 2008,...
, and becomes dual carriageway
Dual carriageway
A dual carriageway is a class of highway with two carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation...
standard for the remainder of the route, after the section between Sedgefield and Wynyard was upgraded to dual carriageway in 2001. The A689 meets the A19
A19 road
The A19 is a major road in England running approximately parallel to and east of the A1 road, although the two roads meet at the northern end of the A19, the two roads originally met at the southern end of the A19 in Doncaster but the old route of the A1 was changed to the A638. From Sunderland...
near Wolviston
Wolviston
Wolviston is a village and civil parish within the borough of Stockton-on-Tees and the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It is situated to the north of Billingham. The village is a community with good road links to Stockton-on-Tees and Middlesbrough and the rest of North East England...
, before turning north-east and eventually terminating close to the centre of Hartlepool
Hartlepool
Hartlepool is a town and port in North East England.It was founded in the 7th century AD, around the Northumbrian monastery of Hartlepool Abbey. The village grew during the Middle Ages and developed a harbour which served as the official port of the County Palatine of Durham. A railway link from...
.
See also
- List of highest paved roads in Europe
- List of mountain passes
External links
- A689 Carlisle-Hartlepool - from SABRE's "Roads By 10".