Deeside Way
| Deeside Way | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Length | 41 miles (66 km) |
| Location | Aberdeenshire, Scotland |
| Trailheads | |
| Use | Walking, cycling and horse riding |
| Elevation | |
| Highest point | 676 feet (206 m)[1] |
| Hiking details | |
| Season | All Year |
| Waymark | Yes |
| Website | http://www.deesideway.org/ |
The Deeside Way is a 41-mile (66 km) rail trail that follows, in part, the bed of the former Deeside Railway. The trail leads along the north bank of the River Dee from Aberdeen to Ballater in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
The track is now part of the National Cycle Network, as National Route 195.
History[]
The Deeside Railway was a line that travelled from Aberdeen to Ballater as a stretch of the Great North of Scotland Railway, it closed in 1966 as part of the Beeching cuts. Its tracks have since been removed, except for a small one-mile section used as the Royal Deeside heritage railway, and the path opened to the public on the former route. While in operation, the railway was used by the British Royal Family during travel to their Scottish retreat at Balmoral, hence the local name the Royal Deeside Line.[2]
Interest in using the route for recreational purposes for pedestrians and cyclists began in 1971 with the publication of the Parham Report; in 1992 Kincardine and Deeside District Council undertook a feasibility study into creating the Deeside Way. Some parts of the line were acquired for public ownership and the route has been developed in sections over the years.[3] The current route was conceived by Mark Hagger in 2000. After winning the support of Aberdeenshire Council and the Community Councils along the route, Mark worked for 10 years as a consultant to the COuncil, which managed the project. The route was based on negotiation and voluntary agreement with landowners, and broadly follows the river Dee and the old railway line. It was developed in stages, as funding and agreement became available.
The Deeside Way is now almost complete between Duthie Park in Aberdeen and the Station Square in Ballater. There is currently a 1 mile (1.6 km) gap in the route east of Aboyne from Kirkton to the Victory Hall, although there is an agreement for users to pass through on the unimproved route of the old railway. There are plans to extend the path from Ballater to Braemar.[1]
The route[]
The pathway runs from Duthie Park, Aberdeen to Peterculter, with two breaks across quiet country roads and a larger one at the busy Milltimber Brae. It then leaves the route of the old line, following a country road for around a mile along Coalford Croft to Old Manse Wood, whence there is a narrow path into Drumoak.[4] The route follows a pavement beside the A93 North Deeside Road for a few hundred yards to a signposted path that rejoins the former railway line to , where it is necessary to use another short stretch of pavement besdide the A93 and the A957 to a minor road onto the path once more. This leads past Milton of Crathes, and alongside the Deeside Railway to arrive in Bellfield Park in Banchory.[5]
The route then continues on to Potarch, on the South side of the river, using a forestry road from Scolty car park to Shooting Greens.
From Potarch, the path returns to the North side of the river, and runs over a bridge before heading alongside the River Dee, and into Kincardine O'Neil.[6] A new path takes the route through the Dess woods and past the Dess waterfall, before retrieving the old railway line near Dess station.
A bridge across Holburn Street in Aberdeen was built in 2005, and in March 2010 another bridge was opened over West Cults Road.[7]
Laying of tarmac along sections of the path within built-up areas of Aberdeen has taken place to improve from the current path which floods leading to thick mud patches during the autumn and winter months.[citation needed]. The aggregate path in Aberdeenshire has been extensively resurfaced in 2015 and 2021.
See also[]
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Deeside Way". LDWA.
- ^ "About the Line". www.deeside-railway.co.uk. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
- ^ "Deeside Way". www.deesideway.org. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
- ^ "Aberdeen to Drumoak". www.deesideway.org.
- ^ "Drumoak to Banchory". www.deesideway.org.
- ^ "Banchory-Aboyne path plan unveiled". Deeside Piper. 30 October 2008. Archived from the original on 1 November 2014.
- ^ Aberdeen City Council (2010). "New footbridge leading to historic Deeside Way opened" Archived 14 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
External links[]
- Geography of Aberdeen
- Transport in Aberdeen
- Footpaths in Aberdeenshire
- Cycleways in Scotland
- Rail trails in Scotland