| Distance (km) | Ascent (metres) | Number of days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 66 (or 68) | 420 | 3 - 5 | |
| Start: Dyce | Finish: Fraserburgh | ||
Route type and direction
Linear, from Dyce (near Aberdeen) to Maud, where it branches east to Peterhead or continues north to Fraserburgh.
Overview
From the edge of Aberdeen, the route follows a former railway line for 26 miles through rolling farmland to the village of Maud, where it splits to reach one of two destinations on the North Sea coast. One branch goes east for 15 miles to the busy fishing port of Peterhead, the other heads north for 16 miles to the seaside town of Fraserburgh. The route is entirely off-road and relatively flat. National Cycle Network Route 1 also uses sections of the route between Dyce and Newmachar and between Auchnagatt and Maud.
Highlights
- Aberdeenshire Farming Museum at Aden Country Park.
- Maud Railway Museum at the old station in Maud
- Old Deer & Deer Abbey – a former Cistercian monastery famous for a book written in the earliest Scottish Gaelic
- Arbuthnott Museum, Peterhead – one of Scotland’s oldest museums
- railway heritage in the form of old stations, bridges, mileage signs and railway worker huts
- White Horse at Mormond Hill – an impressive huge outline of a horse formed by white stones
- Museum of Scottish Lighthouses, near Fraserburgh
Be aware
- whichever branch is chosen at Maud, to complete the entire route requires you to retrace your steps
- some sections can be wet underfoot, where water drains off surrounding farmland
- no support services at present
The challenge
This route runs largely over flat terrain. As a disused railway line, navigation is easy. Surfacing varies across the length of the route, with tarmac sections through the urban areas and compacted aggregate path elsewhere. It is suitable for walkers, cyclists and horse-riders of all abilities, and because the route is shared, you need to stay alert for other trail users, perhaps moving at a different speed.
Accommodation
As a former railway line, the Formartine and Buchan Way passes through many communities: accommodation can be viewed and booked on the VisitScotland website.
Support services
None at present.
Public transport
A range of bus routes link the communities along the Formartine and Buchan Way: consult the Aberdeenshire Council public transport guides. The route begins at Dyce station on the main Aberdeen to Inverness railway line.
For details, visit Traveline Scotland, or, for the entire UK, Traveline. For travel from anywhere to anywhere, try Rome2Rio.
Download route cards
Download route cards covering the entire route below:
| Route cards | Download |