The A697 is a road that can be used an alternative to the A1 for those travelling between Scotland

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

 and England

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...

 via 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...

.

It connects Morpeth

Morpeth, Northumberland

Morpeth is the county town of Northumberland, England. It is situated on the River Wansbeck which flows east through the town. The town is from the A1, which bypasses it. Since 1981, it has been the administrative centre of the County of Northumberland. In the 2001 census the town had a population...

 on the A1 to 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...

 at Oxton

Oxton, Scottish Borders

Oxton is a rural village in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, just off the A68. The small town of Lauder is 4.5 miles to the south, Edinburgh city centreis about 23 miles to the north. Other towns include Dalkeith ....

, near Edinburgh

Edinburgh

Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...

. The road runs via Wooler

Wooler

Wooler is a small town in Northumberland, England. It lies on the edge of the Northumberland National Park, by the Cheviot Hills and so is a popular base for walkers and is referred to as the "Gateway to the Cheviots"...

 and Coldstream

Coldstream

Coldstream is a small town in the Borders district of Scotland. It lies on the north bank of the River Tweed in Berwickshire, while Northumberland in England lies to the south bank, with Cornhill-on-Tweed the nearest village...

, and passes through a largely rural

Rural

Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...

 area of the Scottish Borders

Scottish Borders

The Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...

.
It is around 15 miles (24.1 km) shorter and an average time of 23 minutes quicker than travelling up the A1, according to figures from the RAC

RAC plc

RAC Limited is a breakdown company in the United Kingdom supplying products and services for motorists. Initially formed as the "Associate Section" of the Royal Automobile Club, it was incorporated as R.A.C. Motoring Services Ltd. in 1978. It was then sold by the members of the Royal Automobile...

 route planner.

The road runs through

• Morpeth
  Morpeth, Northumberland
  Morpeth is the county town of Northumberland, England. It is situated on the River Wansbeck which flows east through the town. The town is from the A1, which bypasses it. Since 1981, it has been the administrative centre of the County of Northumberland. In the 2001 census the town had a population...
  
  
• Espley
• Longhorsley
  Longhorsley
  Longhorsley is a village in Northumberland, England about northwest of Morpeth, and about south of Alnwick. The A697 road passes through the village linking it with Morpeth, Wooler and Coldstream in Scotland. There are 6 "Streets" in Longhorsley: Whitegates, Church View, Drummonds Close, West...
  
  
• Weldon
• Longframlington
  Longframlington
  Longframlington is a small village in Northumberland, England, located on the A697, north-west of Morpeth and south-east of Rothbury.Longframlington is a former pit village and on the site of the pit now stands Fram Park, a log cabin holiday park....
  
  
• Thrunton
• Powburn
  Powburn
  Powburn is a small village on the A697 in Northumberland, England about south of Wooler and northwest of Alnwick.-Landmarks:The Devil's Causeway passes through the village and continues north under the A697 road crossing the River Till...
  
  
• Wooperton
• Haugh Head
• Wooler
  Wooler
  Wooler is a small town in Northumberland, England. It lies on the edge of the Northumberland National Park, by the Cheviot Hills and so is a popular base for walkers and is referred to as the "Gateway to the Cheviots"...
  
  
• Low Humbleton
• Akeld
  Akeld
  Akeld is a village and civil parish in Northumberland, England. It is situated to the west of Wooler, and has a population of 82. Its name is Anglo-Saxon Old English ac-helde, 'oak slope'....
  
  
• Milfield
  Milfield
  Milfield is a village in Northumberland, England about northwest of Wooler. The A697 road passes through the village.- History :Milfield is the likely location of the Northumbrian royal settlement of Maelmin, given "mael" is a Brythonic word meaning "field"...
  
  
• Crookham
  Crookham, Northumberland
  Crookham is a village on the River Till in Northumberland, in England. It is situated approximately to the east of Coldstream and northwest of Wooler. It has two farms, which are both west of the village. They are called Crookham Eastfield and Crookham Westfield...
  
  
• Cornhill on Tweed
• Coldstream
  Coldstream
  Coldstream is a small town in the Borders district of Scotland. It lies on the north bank of the River Tweed in Berwickshire, while Northumberland in England lies to the south bank, with Cornhill-on-Tweed the nearest village...
  
  
• Orange Lane
• Greenlaw
  Greenlaw
  Greenlaw is a small town situated in the foothills of the Lammermuir Hills on Blackadder Water at the junction of the A697 and the A6105 in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland. Greenlaw was first made the county town of Berwickshire in 1596, and was the first town to take on this role since the...
  
  
• Houndslow
  Houndslow
  Houndslow is a hamlet in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland. It is situated on the A697, about west of Greenlaw, and north-east of Gordon. It has a population of approximately 30. Immediately to the south is the former village of Bassendean, with the 17th-century Bassendean House.-External...
  
  
• Thirlestane
• Oxton
  Oxton, Scottish Borders
  Oxton is a rural village in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, just off the A68. The small town of Lauder is 4.5 miles to the south, Edinburgh city centreis about 23 miles to the north. Other towns include Dalkeith ....