Transport Links

Kirkby Stephen is centrally located in the north of England and enjoys via the A685 excellent connections to the network of national trunk routes, and is well positioned for access to North-West England, North-East England and South-West Scotland.

Transport – Road

  • A685 – The A685 runs through Kirkby Stephen.  Four miles North of Kirkby Stephen it joins the A66, the principal trans-Pennine route connecting North-East and North-West.
  • A66 – From the A66 interchange Scotch Corner and the A1 are another 29 miles to the East, Penrith and the M6 another 22 miles to the West.
  • M6 – 10 miles South-West of Kirkby Stephen the A685 joins the M6 at junction 38, providing fast motorway access to the main conurbations of the North-West, the Midlands and the South and northwards to South-West Scotland.

Transport – Rail

  • Settle-Carlisle Railway – Kirkby Stephen is on the national rail network, the Settle-Carlisle railway, with 7 trains a day linking Leeds and Carlisle, and with London being a comfortable four and a half hour journey.  The Settle and Carlisle railway is Britain’s only heritage mainline and is regularly visited by steam-hauled excursions.  The line often features on TV (most recently in Michael Portillo’s Great Railway Journeys) and was voted second greatest train journey in the world by America’s ABC news.  Kirkby Stephen Station has been carefully restored to its original condition and there is a refreshment room and shop.
    More information can be found at www.settle-carlisle.co.uk
  • East Coast line – At Darlington, 40 miles by road, via the A66 (East) and A1, the East Coast line connecting London and the South, with the  North-East and Edinburgh.
  • West Coast line – At Penrith, 25 miles by road via the A66, the West Coast line connecting London and the South with the North-West and Glasgow.

Transport – Air

  • Durham/Tees – Reached in under one hour via the A66 and A67.
  • Newcastle – Reached in about one hour and a half via the A66, A1 and A696.
  • Manchester – Reached in about an hour and a half via A685 and M6.
  • Carlisle – Reached in about an hour via A66 and M6.

Transport – Seaports

  • Newcastle –  Reached in about an hour and a half via A66 and A1.
  • Hull – Reached in about two hours via A66, A1 and M62.