The A66 is a major road in northern England which in part follows the course of the Roman road from Scotch Corner to Penrith. It runs from east of Middlesbrough in North Yorkshire to Workington in Cumbria. It is anomalously numbered since west of Penrith it trespasses into Name Zone 5; this is because it originally terminated at the A6 in Penrith, but was extended further west in order to create one continuous east-west route.
From Scotch Corner the A66 travels west across the Pennines, past Brough, Appleby, Temple Sowerby, Penrith, Keswick and Cockermouth, before arriving at the coastal town of Workington.
Between Penrith and Workington, there are fifteen bridges going under the road, and three built over it.
Travelling west from Penrith towards Workington, the first major structure is the bridge near the village of Threlkeld which takes the road over the River Greta.
One of the most spectacular bridges along the A66 is the second structure which was built over the River Greta. The 220 metre long bridge near Keswick was voted the Best Civil Engineering Structure of the Century by readers of the Concrete magazine.
Near Braithwaite is the Chapel Beck aqueduct which takes a stream across the A66 from the fellside to Bassenthwaite Lake.
The last major bridge on the A66 is the Marron Bridge which takes the road over the River Marron near Little Clifton.
The A66 passes Brough
The A66 passes Brough
The A66 passes Brough, with Brough church and Castle in the distance
The Settle & Carlisle railway line crossing the A66, at Appleby.
Roman milestone, Temple Sowerby.
The A66 road through Temple Sowerby is laid on the site of a Roman road from York to Brougham. A Roman milestone, 4.5 feet high, and now enclosed by a fence, stands at the side of the road on the boundary of the Kirkby Thore parish.
After many years of campaigning, on 18th October 2007 the new Temple Sowerby by-pass finally opened.
The Temple Sowerby by-pass crosses the River Eden.
East of Temple Sowerby
Passing Brougham Castle, near Penrith
M6 Junction 40. A66 west bottom left, A66 east top right.
Environment Agency HQ top left, by the road into Penrith.
Rheged, west of Penrith
The A66 passes Stainton, west of Penrith heading to Keswick
The Coledale fells through the arch carrying the A66 over the River Greta at Keswick.
Photo by Ann Bowker
The Shepherds Hotel, formerly the sheep and wool centre, at the Cockermouth A66/A5086 roundabout
Aerial photos by Simon Ledingham.
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