Have done this route several times and it has a good mixture of roads, excellent scenery, passes a few garages, and is relatively fast:
A52 Ashbourne
A515 Buxton
A6 A624 Glossop
M67 M60 M66 (boring bit, but usually quick)
A56 Discount shopping complex with cafe and camping shop at Junc. with A682!
A671 A59 A671 Clitheroe
This is the good bit all the way to Dent...........
B6478 Newton and Slaidburn
@ Monument in Slaidburn look for 'Quiet Lane' - excellent single track road leading to High Bentham - a quality experience!
Burton in Lonsdale
A65
Choices now, either:
A65 Kirby Londale
A683 Bardon
Single track road past Calf Top to Dent
(or Sedbergh then Dent)
OR
At
A65 go straight ahead to Thornton in Lonsdale
Gated (x4), single track road, to Dent via Deepdale
If anyone is interested there is a big, easily accessible, cave very near the gated road that I could take a group to.
Hope this is of some use, and if it makes any sense even better.
Cheers and hopefully see you soon
Boyd