Distance: 86 km Grade: 1 (Easy)

Formartine and Buchan Way, Borrohill Plantation
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Richard Webb - geograph.org.uk/p/6586997

Formartine And Buchanway
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© Copyright Richard Webb and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

 

Description:

A rather easy walk, mostly on well defined paths, with no special difficulties. The trail is gently graded and easy to follow. The Formartine & Buchan Way, one of Scotland's Great Trails, follows the track of a former railway line, the Formartine and Buchan Railway and is open to walkers, cyclists and horse riders. This trails "runs" from Dyce, on the edge of Aberdeen in the south, to the village of Maud where it splits into two routes; eastwards to Peterhead and northwards to Fraserburgh. The line was the victim of the infamous 1960s Beeching cuts and stopped carrying passengers in 1965, although freight services continued into the 1970s. The Buchan Countryside Group reopened the route as in 1987. It is a valuable natural corridor for many types of wildlife including deer, fox, weasel, stoat and badgers. 

The trail is entirely off road and relatively flat, however it passes through such a varied and interesting landscape that the outlook is constantly changing and the journey never boring.

Stages:

  1. Dyce - Udny Station 13 km (Easy)
  2. Udny Station - Ellon 8 km (Easy)
  3. Ellon - Auchnagatt 12 km (Easy)
  4. Auchnagatt - Maud 7 km (Easy)

A choice: Either head for Fraserburgh or go for Peterhead

To Fraserburgh:

 5. Maud - Strichen 9 km ( Easy)

 6. Strichen - Fraserburgh (8) 17,5 km (Easy)

To Peterhead:

 5. Maud - Longside 11,5 km (Easy)

 7. Longside - Peterhead (9) 10.25 km ( Easy)