Deeside Way
The Deeside Way is a 66 km waymarked route from Aberdeen to Ballater along the River Dee — following the royal valley through Aberdeenshire farmland past Crathes Castle and Balmoral approaches on good river and railway paths.
This route has no official waymarking. Serious navigation experience is required — do not rely on GPS alone. Carry OS 1:25,000 maps and study the line before you go.
About Deeside Way
The River Dee flows east from the Cairngorms through the valley associated with Queen Victoria's Balmoral Castle to Aberdeen. The Deeside Way follows it the full length from the city to Ballater, using the trackbed of the former Deeside Railway (closed 1966) and riverside paths. It is a gentle, well-surfaced route through pleasant Aberdeenshire countryside.
For trail runners it is a fast one to two day route on excellent surfaces — former railway trackbed is firm and flat throughout. Crathes Castle (National Trust, good café) is the main landmark. Ballater is a dignified Victorian railway town rebuilt after a 2015 flood.
The route
Aberdeen to Banchory (~35 km): Through the western suburbs and into the Dee valley. Crathes Castle and the riverside sections are the highlight of the lower route.
Banchory to Ballater (~31 km): Deeper into Deeside — the valley narrows and the hills close in. Aboyne and Torphins en route.
Getting there & logistics
Start: Aberdeen. Extensive rail connections.
Finish: Ballater. Bus back to Aberdeen.
Best time: Year-round. The railway surfaces drain quickly.
Safety
The Deeside Way is a low-hazard route with good mobile signal throughout. In an emergency: call 999 or 112.
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