Route advice request - York to Manchester and back

[Arminius]

I'm planning to ride from the centre of York to the centre of Manchester on Friday this week, returning on Sunday, and was hoping that the hive mind could help with some route suggestions. I don't mind busy roads too much, but if there are options on roads less travelled then that would be nicer. I'll be on a bike with 25c tyres and at least one pannier, and haven't done much in the way of hills in the past year or so...

[pcolbeck]

I am not sure there is any non hilly route, the Pennines are between York and Manchester. If you go north of Leeds you will have the dales to contend with and south the Peak District.
The other option is straight through Leeds, Huddersfield, Rochdale etc, basically paralleling the M62 but that would be very hilly as well.

[Karla]

I'd go B1222 to Sherburn, then Morley, Wakefield, Holmfirth.  Along the A635 over Saddleworth is then the most direct way bit the roads into Manchester are quite big and busy. Turning left over Holme Moss is longer and hillier (unless you want to go to Stockport in which case it's just hillier) but it's a classic climb so good for bragging rights.