The A591 is a major road in Cumbria, which lies almost entirely within the Lake District national park.

[5] It bypasses the town of Kendal as a dual carriageway, this £1.9m 3-mile (4.8 km) section opened on 29 August 1971.

Traffic then bypasses Keswick by following the A66 west for 2.2 km to a roundabout where the A591 resumes, continuing in a roughly north-westerly direction, with fine views over Bassenthwaite Lake.

[6] The Bothel to Keswick section has many acute bends and is particularly narrow in places, so care is needed when driving on it.

The road was badly damaged during Storm Desmond on 5 December 2015 including a part washed away at Dunmail Raise and landslip adjacent to Thirlmere.