National Cycle Network The National Cycle Network (NCN) is the national cycling route network of the United Kingdom, which was established to encourage cycling and walking throughout Britain, as well as for the purposes of bicycle touring. It was created by the cha ...

(NCN) Route 656 is a

Sustrans Sustrans is a United Kingdom-based walking, wheeling and cycling charity, and the custodian of the National Cycle Network. Its flagship project is the National Cycle Network, which has created of signed cycle routes throughout the United K ...

regional route in North Yorkshire. A cycle way between

Coxwold Coxwold is a village and civil parish in the Hambleton District of North Yorkshire, England, in the North York Moors, North York Moors National Park. It is 18 miles north of York and is where the Rev. Laurence Sterne wrote ''A Sentimental Jour ...

and a junction with NCN Route 65 near Osmotherley via

Sutton Bank Sutton Bank is a hill in the Hambleton District of the North York Moors National Park, North Yorkshire in England. It is a high point on the Hambleton Hills with extensive views over the Vale of York and the Vale of Mowbray. At the foot of Su ...

National Park Centre and

Hawnby Hawnby is a small crossroads village and civil parish in Rye Dale in the North York Moors National Park, North Yorkshire, England. The village is about north-west of Helmsley. History The village is mentioned twice in the ''Domesday Book'' a ...

. The route is fully opened and signed, it is on-road using quiet country lanes. Sustrans describe it as “a very strenuous route.” Prior to 2009 the route had been signed as part of NCN 65. Up until then it had been described as the High Level route on the Hull to Middlesbrough White Rose cycle route.

Route

The southern end of Route 656 is in Coxwold at a Junction with Route 65. Near the village of Kilburn the route climbs steeply up Sutton Bank. It then follows the line of an old

Drovers' road A drovers' road, drove ''roador droveway is a route for droving livestock on foot from one place to another, such as to market or between summer and winter pasture (see transhumance). Many drovers' roads were ancient routes of unknown age; ot ...

before descending steeply into Hawnby. There are further climbs from there to the northern end at a junction with 65 .

History

The route was established in 1998 as part of the White Rose cycle route. It was signed as a branch of Route 65. The White Roses cycle route is no longer promoted and the signs have been updated by the addition of route 656 stickers.

Route

History

Related NCN Routes

References

External links