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Deeside Way

50 km mixed-surface cycling route392 m climbing3 h 34 minGPX

Aberdeen, Aberdeen City, United Kingdom · Mixed

A rolling 50 km mixed-surface cycling route from Aberdeen through Broomhill, Ruthrieston and Garthdee, with 392 m of climbing. 62% is on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane. Mixed surface: 52% is mapped as paved and 47% as gravel or unpaved.

Signed route The waymarked Deeside Way (Walk Wheel Cycle Trust 195), traced from OpenStreetMap and measured against the terrain model; no member has recorded it yet. Ridden it? Add your recording and photos.

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At a glance

Best for
Rolling day rides
Distance
49.9 km
Point to point
Elevation gain
392 m
8 m per km
Riding time
3 h 34 min
moving time, estimated
Difficulty
Moderate
Bike
Gravel bike
from the mapped surface
Surface
Mixed, much unpaved
52% paved · 47% unpaved
Traffic
Mostly cycle paths
1.3 km on main roads without a cycle lane · 3.2 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more · 30.8 km on cycle paths or lanes
Food & water
Regular
47 cafés and restaurants · 21 shops · 1 water point · 4 petrol stations · 5 public toilets · 6 bike shops
Best months
Jul to Aug
Aberdeen climate, 10 years
Navigation
GPX download
free, no sign-in
Start → finish
Aberdeen

Map and elevation profile

The Deeside Way at Cairnton Wood
Photo: Bill Harrison · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Elevation profile

Total ascent
392 m
Distance
50 km
050100150200250m0 km1020304050 km200 m · highest, at 38.0 kmStartFinish

Route description

  1. Aberdeen
  2. Broomhillkm 1
  3. Ruthriestonkm 2
  4. Garthdeekm 3
  5. Cultskm 5
  6. Peterculterkm 12
  7. Drumoakkm 18
  8. Banchorykm 29
  9. Tillydrinekm 43

Starting from Aberdeen and passing through Ferryhill and Broomhill, the route heads west through several suburbs including Cults, Bieldside, and Peterculter before reaching Drumoak and Crathes. The overall elevation gain is 392 m, with the highest point at 200 m around 37.5 km into the ride. The route climbs mainly after 28.8 km with several moderate gradients up to 7.6% pitch before descending towards the finish at Aberdeen.

The surface is about half paved and half gravel or unpaved. Over 30 km are on cycle paths, with other sections on tracks, minor roads, quiet streets, and a short stretch of main road without a cycle lane. Riders encounter 13 km on main roads, including 3.2 km posted at 80 km/h or more. The route is named Deeside Way for nearly 29.4 km.

Facilities are well-distributed near the start and through towns: cafés, shops, petrol stations and bike shops are available before 28.9 km, but there is a longest stretch of 12.3 km with no café, shop or water after this point. Toilets and bailout stations can be found at 0 km and near 25.5 km. The finish is close to The White Cottage restaurant in Aberdeen.

Why ride this route?

  • 62% on cycle paths or lanes.

Highlights

  • Climbs with max gradient 7.6% between km 28.8 and 33
  • Cycle path covers 63% of route
  • Peaks near the road: Kaim Hill at 3.4 km, Kirkenie Hill at 41.3 km
  • Longest descent 2 km dropping 107 m from km 38

Along the route

Measured from the route line, the Copernicus elevation model and OpenStreetMap.

Places passed

  1. Kaimhill 2.3 km
  2. Mannofield 2.6 km
  3. Garthdee 3 km
  4. Braeside 3.4 km
  5. Pitfodels 4.2 km
  6. Cults 5.3 km
  7. Bieldside 7 km
  8. Milltimber 9.1 km
  9. Peterculter 11.5 km
  10. Coalford 13.4 km
  11. Drumoak 17.6 km
  12. Park 18.2 km
  13. Crathes 22.6 km
  14. Banchory 28.5 km
  15. Deebank 28.9 km
  16. Potarch 40.8 km
  17. Tillydrine 42.8 km
  18. Kincardine O'Neil 44.1 km
  19. Dess 47.3 km

Climbs

Climbs in ride order: where each starts, what this ride climbs, and the full named ascent
ClimbStarts atOn this rideTop on this ride
Unnamed climb28.8 km1.9 km · 75 m · 4 % · max 7.6 %131 m
Unnamed climb31.3 km1.3 km · 58 m · 4.4 % · max 7.6 %176 m
Unnamed climb36.2 km1.3 km · 47 m · 3.7 % · max 5.8 %200 m
Unnamed climb44.1 km2.3 km · 80 m · 3.5 % · max 5.4 %179 m

High point 200 m at 37.5 km; low point 13 m. Passes beneath Kaim Hill, Hill of Tillylair, Hill of Tillybath.

Traffic, surface and gradient

Measured from OpenStreetMap along the track and the elevation profile.

Much of the route is separated from traffic: 62% is on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane.

Roads
63% cycle path · 15% track · 8% minor road · 8% quiet street · 7% other roads and tracks
Main roads
1.3 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
Fast roads
3.2 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more
Cycle paths
30.8 km on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane
Main roads used
Deeside Way (29 km)
Surface
Mixed surface: 52% is mapped as paved and 47% as gravel or unpaved.
Gradient
17% climbing · 11% descending · 72% flat
Steep sections
2 km over 5% · 0.3 km over 8% · steepest 500 m averages 7.7% at 32.3 km
Longest descent
2 km from 38 km, dropping 107 m

Food, water and services

Within a few hundred metres of the track, from OpenStreetMap. Opening hours change — treat this as where to look, not a promise.

No stretch is longer than 15 km without a café, shop or water. Along the route: 47 cafés and restaurants, 21 shops, 1 water point, 4 petrol stations, 5 public toilets and 6 bike shops.

Food, water and shops in ride order

  1. 0 kmBP North Esplanade · petrol station · 180 m off route
  2. 0.6 kmThe Park Cafe · café · 110 m off route
  3. 0.7 kmToilets · 110 m off route
  4. 1.5 kmAbergeldie Convenience Store · convenience store · 50 m off route
  5. 5 kmBoxcar Coffee & Yard · café · on the route
  6. 5 kmSkyline Cycles and Sports Ltd · bike shop · 30 m off route
  7. 10.6 kmM&S Simply Food · convenience store · 120 m off route
  8. 10.6 kmBP · petrol station · 120 m off route
  9. 11.4 kmPeterculter Pharmacy · pharmacy · 170 m off route
  10. 18.2 kmPark Shop · convenience store · 70 m off route
  11. 23.7 kmMilton Brasserie · restaurant · 80 m off route
  12. 27.9 kmRide Coffee House · café · 110 m off route
  13. 28.4 kmToilets · 100 m off route
  14. 28.4 kmBanchory Cycles · bike shop · 140 m off route
  15. 28.4 kmBanchory Clinic · clinic · 110 m off route
  16. 44.1 kmGolden House · fast food · on the route
  17. 44.2 kmVillage Store · convenience store · on the route
  18. 44.3 kmToilets · on the route

Need to bail out?

  • 0 km — Aberdeen (station), 740 m off route
  • 25.5 km — Riverside Halt (station), on the route

Whether bikes are carried depends on the service — check before relying on it.

Worth a stop

  • 0 km — A ABD CR (archaeological site)
  • 3.4 km — Kaim Hill (peak, 52 m)
  • 16.8 km — The Keith Tower (monument)
  • 25.9 km — Welcome to Banchory Stone (monument)

Stay after this ride

  • Lodge on the Loch Hotel · hotel · 1.1 km from the finish

Start and access

Starts at Aberdeen. Mapped within a short walk of the start and finish, from OpenStreetMap.

At the start

Food and coffee
The Park Cafe (560 m), Papa John's (230 m), Sweet Mumma's Kitchen (330 m)
Shops
Ferryhill Stores (400 m), Londis (200 m)

At the finish

Food and coffee
The White Cottage (690 m)

Know before you go

  • Longest stretch with no café, shop or water for 12.3 km after 28.9 km
  • 1.3 km on main roads without a cycle lane
  • 3.2 km on roads with 80 km/h speed limit or more
  • Gravel or unpaved surface for 47% of route

Routes are for inspiration. Roads, surfaces and conditions change — check locally and ride within your limits.

2 photographs from the road

Photo: Bill Harrison · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Stanley Howe · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Scott Cormie · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

About this route

Route line
Traced from the waymarked route’s relation in OpenStreetMap.
Elevation
Recalculated from the Copernicus GLO-90 terrain model every 50 m, not the device’s barometer.
Roads, surface, services
Measured along the line from OpenStreetMap extracts.
Best months
Ten years of ERA5 weather for Aberdeen (Open-Meteo).
GPX
Generated from the route line: track points only, no timestamps or personal data.
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Page last updated

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