Gravel · United Kingdom
National Cycle Route 197
A flat 20 km gravel route from Maud, Aberdeenshire through Old Deer, Mintlaw and Longside, with 32 m of climbing. 99% is on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane. Mostly unpaved: 93% is mapped as gravel or unpaved, 7% as paved.
At a glance
- Best for
- Steady riding away from traffic
- Distance
- 19.7 km
- Elevation gain
- 32 m
- Riding time
- 1 h 38 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Bike
- Gravel or mountain bike
- Surface
- Mostly unpaved
- Traffic
- Mostly cycle paths
- Food & water
- Regular
- Best months
- Jul to Aug
- Navigation
- GPX download
- Start → finish
- Maud
Map and elevation profile
Elevation profile
- 32 m
- 20 km
Route description
- Maud
- Old Deer
- Mintlaw
- Longside
The route starts in Maud at 65 m elevation and heads through Old Deer at 5 km, Mintlaw at 7.6 km, and Longside at 11.5 km. It descends gently to its low point of 21 m at 13 km before reaching Waterside, Upper Grange, and finishing near Coplandhill at 19.7 km. The route is mostly flat with only small sections of climbing and descending, the steepest gradient is about 3.8% over 500 m at the start.
The surface is predominantly gravel or unpaved, making up 93% of the route, with 7% paved. Almost the entire ride is on cycle paths, mostly on the Formatine and Buchan Way for 19.3 km. Riders can find cafés, shops and toilets at the start in Maud and at intervals in Mintlaw and the finish, but should note there is an 11.7 km stretch from 7.6 km without café, shop or water.
Facilities include the Platform 5 Café near the start, Murdoch Allen bakery in Mintlaw, and shops like Nisa Local in Maud and Co-Op in Mintlaw. There are petrol stations in Mintlaw and close to the finish. Toilets are available at the start. This is a point-to-point route ending near several rural settlements.
Why ride this route?
- 99% on cycle paths or lanes.
Highlights
- Route follows Formatine and Buchan Way for 19.3 km
- Passes through Old Deer, Mintlaw, Longside
- Longest flat section at 96% of route
- Close to North Lodge ruins at 6.1 km
Along the route
Places passed
Traffic, surface and gradient
Much of the route is separated from traffic: 99% is on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane.
- Roads
- 99% cycle path · 1% other roads and tracks
- Cycle paths
- 19.5 km on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane
- Main roads used
- Formatine and Buchan Way (19 km)
- Surface
- Mostly unpaved: 93% is mapped as gravel or unpaved, 7% as paved.
- Gradient
- 3% climbing · 1% descending · 96% flat
Food, water and services
No stretch is longer than 15 km without a café, shop or water. Along the route: 9 cafés and restaurants, 4 shops, 2 petrol stations and 1 public toilet.
Food, water and shops in ride order
- 0 kmPlatform 5 Cafe & Takeaway · café · 90 m off route
- 0 kmNisa Local · convenience store · 220 m off route
- 0 kmToilets · 90 m off route
- 6.6 kmCo-Op Mintlaw · convenience store · 150 m off route
- 7.6 kmMurdoch Allen · bakery · 160 m off route
- 7.6 kmEsso · petrol station · 220 m off route
- 7.6 kmRowlands Pharmacy · pharmacy · 180 m off route
- 19.3 kmAsda · supermarket · 70 m off route
- 19.7 kmGrange Inn · pub · 270 m off route
Worth a stop
- 6.1 km — North Lodge (ruins)
Stay after this ride
- Clerkhill Inn · hotel · 1.0 km from the finish
- Waterside Inn · hotel · 1.6 km from the finish
- Alexanders Guest House · guest house · 2.4 km from the finish
- The Harbour Spring · hotel · 2.5 km from the finish
Start and access
At the start
- Food and coffee
- Platform 5 Cafe & Takeaway (90 m), Platform 5 (90 m), Station Hotel Maud (120 m)
- Shops
- Nisa Local (220 m)
At the finish
- Food and coffee
- Grange Inn (270 m)
- Shops
- Asda (460 m)
Know before you go
- 11.7 km stretch with no café, shop or water from 7.6 km to 19.3 km
- 93% gravel or unpaved surface
- 19.3 km on cycle path, no cycle lane indicated
- Steepest 500 m at 3.8% gradient at start