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A walk along the Deeside Way from Aboyne to Ballater
A walk · Aboyne

The Deeside Way – Aboyne to Ballater on the Old Railway

About 11.4 miles on foot.

Directions
AboyneStartBallaterFinish

Between Aboyne and Ballater the Deeside Way follows the old Royal Deeside railway, so the gradients are gentle the whole way and the hills close in as you go.

It's a long, easy day on foot through farmland, birch and heather, past the white suspension bridge at Cambus o' May, with lunch in Ballater's old station at the end and the bus back to your car. It suits anyone happy to walk eleven miles on a level path.

Time
About four and a half hours' walking: about 11 miles (18 km) on the old railway line to Ballater, with about 150 metres of climbing in all. A long, easy walk, one way, with the bus back.
The path
Waymarked; the old railway line, mostly well surfaced with gentle gradients, some uneven and gravelly sections, shared with cyclists. Turnstiles at the Cambus o' May bridge, which the path passes.
Where to start
The car park beside the Victory Hall in the middle of Aboyne, where the Deeside Way starts; or the council's Station Square and Shopping Square car parks, free with a voluntary charge by RingGo or PayByPhone.
Set off
By about 9am; from November to February by 9.30am at the latest, as the path is unlit.
When to go
All year in daylight; from November to February set off by 9.30am. The Rothesay Rooms shuts on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Dogs
At heel or on a lead by Cambus o' May, where birds nest on the ground.
Children
Gentle gradients all the way, but 11 miles is a long day for children.
Toilets
Public toilets in Ballater at the end; none on the way.
Before you set out
The path crosses the busy A93 twice, the second time near Tullich with no marked crossing: take care. Back to Aboyne on Stagecoach's 201 from Victoria Road in Ballater, about hourly; check the times.

The walk

The walk starts at the car park beside the Victory Hall in the middle of Aboyne, where the Deeside Way picks up the line of the old Royal Deeside railway. If it's full, the council's car parks at Station Square and the Shopping Square ask for a voluntary charge by RingGo or PayByPhone.

The whole walk to Ballater is about 11 miles on the old line, with only about 150 metres of climbing in all, so it is long rather than hard. The Deeside Way is waymarked and shared with cyclists.

Wear comfortable boots and take water, and set off by about 9am so the day fits round lunch; from November to February set off by 9.30am at the latest, as the path is unlit.

If it rains

Almost all of it is out in the open on the old line. On a wet day, shorten it: the 201 stops on the A93 by the Cambus o' May car park, so the walk can end there with the bus back to Aboyne.

Along the way

  1. About 3 hr on foot

    Cambus o’ May Suspension Bridge

    Cambus o’ May Suspension Bridge

    An attraction

    Cambus o' May is about 12 km and three hours' walk west along the old line, past the gliding airfield beyond Aboyne and the old station at Dinnet, and on through birch and heather as the hills come closer. The path crosses the busy A93 once on the way, so cross with care. At Cambus o' May the white suspension bridge of 1905 hangs over the Dee beside the old station building, with picnic tables on the bank: a good place for a rest and a piece (a packed lunch). The bridge has turnstiles at each end, so it is no use for a pushchair or wheelchair. Keep dogs at heel or on a lead here, as birds nest on the ground.

    More about Cambus o’ May Suspension Bridge

  2. About 1 hr 32 min on foot

    The Rothesay Rooms

    The Rothesay Rooms

    Lunch

    It's about 6 km and an hour and a half on into Ballater, past Tullich kirkyard and across the A93 again with no marked crossing, so take care. The Deeside Way ends at the Old Royal Station, where the Rothesay Rooms serves lunch Wednesday to Sunday, mains from noon to 3.30pm, with a children's menu. It shuts on Mondays and Tuesdays, so on those days take lunch with you. Book on 01339 753816 for a weekend. To get back to Aboyne, Stagecoach's 201 leaves the stop on Victoria Road about every hour and takes about 20 minutes to the Victory Hall; the last on a weekday is about 8.25pm. Check the times before you set off, as weekends differ. If the Rothesay Rooms is full, the Balmoral Arms in the village serves lunch in its Ghillies Bar from noon to 3pm, Wednesday to Sunday.

Before you go

  1. Book accommodation nearby

    If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.

    The nearest of ours is Darroch Learg in Ballater.

  2. Book the Rothesay Rooms

    Book a table at the Rothesay Rooms on 01339 753816 for a weekend lunch; it opens Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm.

Where to eat

Find out more

For further reading, before you go.

Photograph by John Middleton via Google