Road · United Kingdom
National Cycle Route 1
A flat 25 km gravel route from Newmachar, Aberdeenshire through North Balnakettle, Udny Station and Mains of Orchardtown, with 92 m of climbing. 96% is on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane. The first 25 km has no café, shop or water. Mostly unpaved: 89% is mapped as gravel or unpaved, 10% as paved.
At a glance
- Best for
- Steady riding away from traffic
- Distance
- 24.5 km
- Elevation gain
- 92 m
- Riding time
- 2 h 02 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Bike
- Gravel or mountain bike
- Surface
- Mostly unpaved
- Traffic
- Mostly cycle paths
- Food & water
- Longest gap 25 km
- Best months
- Jun to Aug
- Navigation
- GPX download
- Start → finish
- Newmachar
Map and elevation profile
Elevation profile
- 92 m
- 25 km
Route description
- Newmachar
- North Balnakettle
- Udny Station
- Mains of Orchardtown
- Logiemuir
- Ellon
- Little Arnage
This 24.5 km point-to-point route starts at Newmachar at 136 m and descends to a low of 13 m near Ellon at 12.1 km. It passes through North Balnakettle, Udny Station, Mains of Orchardtown, Logiemuir, Ellon, Little Arnage and finishes at Auchnagatt.
The route is almost entirely on cycle paths (23.6 km), mostly gravel (89%), with just 10% paved surfaces. It follows the Formartine and Buchan Way for over 11 km in three stretches. The profile is 75% flat with some gentle climbing (only 9% climbing gradient) and a longest descent of 4.4 km dropping 57 m starting near 1 km.
There are no cafés, shops, water points or toilets along the route, and no bail out points. A picnic site called Logierieve Wood lies just 24 m off the route near 7.8 km. A bike repair stand is located near Auchnagatt at the finish, 51 m off route.
Why ride this route?
- 96% on cycle paths or lanes.
Highlights
- Formartine and Buchan Way cycle path
- Longest descent of 4.4 km dropping 57 m
- Picnic site at Logierieve Wood (7.8 km)
- Route starts at 136 m elevation in Newmachar
Along the route
Places passed
Traffic, surface and gradient
Much of the route is separated from traffic: 96% is on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane.
- Roads
- 96% cycle path · 2% path · 2% other roads and tracks
- Cycle paths
- 23.6 km on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane
- Main roads used
- Formatine and Buchan Way (12 km), Formartine & Buchan Way (8 km), Formartine and Buchan Way (3 km)
- Surface
- Mostly unpaved: 89% is mapped as gravel or unpaved, 10% as paved.
- Gradient
- 9% climbing · 16% descending · 75% flat
- Longest descent
- 4.4 km from 1 km, dropping 57 m
Food, water and services
The longest stretch without a café, shop or water is 25 km, from the start. Along the route: 1 bike shop.
Food, water and shops in ride order
- 24.5 kmRepair stand · 50 m off route
Worth a stop
- 7.8 km — Logierieve Wood (picnic site)
Know before you go
- No café, shop or water for 24.5 km
- 89% gravel or unpaved surface
- 96% on cycle paths but no paved road beyond 10%
- Longest descent from 1 km is 4.4 km