The Formartine and Buchan Way has a branch at Maud that heads off to Peterhead to the east. The branch route can be walked in one go or broken into two stages by stopping at Longside.
Shared cycle track, sometimes muddy.
Maud is linked by bus to Fraserburgh; Longside by bus to Peterhead.
Station Road, Maud.
There is parking in Maud by the shop opposite the Station Hotel on Station Road. Rejoin the Formartine and Buchan Way by heading down the pathway to the right of the shop and crossing the road at the bottom. The Peterhead branch of the Formartine and Buchan Way starts almost opposite, signed as a cyclepath for Mintlaw. It soon passes through open, rich farmland.
Continue ahead, crossing a tarred lane, running alongside a plantation and over a couple of bridges over burns. After around 4km the route crosses the minor road at Bridgend. After this, look out on the left for the ruins of Deer Abbey. The remains of the Cistercian Abbey here are scant, but the walls of the refectory, Abbot's House and kitchen still stand to some height and can be seen but not accessed from the route. Further on, a signed path on the right gives access to the attractive village of Old Deer, but the Formartine and Buchan Way continues ever onwards along the old railway.
The route next passes under the B9030, and the surface becomes somewhat muddy at times. It then comes alongside and meets the busy A950. A path off to the right here gives access to Aden Country Park, but for our route carefully cross the road and continue on the cyclepath as signed for Longside on the opposite side. The route now leads through a cutting and under another minor road. A cairn commemorates the setting up of this part of the walkway as it heads through woodland and then passes close to the industry and houses of Mintlaw, seen on the right.
The route emerges on the A952; the centre of Mintlaw - including a shop - is just to the right. Otherwise, continue ahead on the cyclepath. It soon crosses a minor road and leads through open countryside once more, though the noise of the A950 remains within earshot. Eventually the old railway route is blocked by a new harled house and the Way bears right of the house to climb up to the road just beyond, next to Auchlee bridge. The fine houses of Bridgend are to the left, whilst the village of Longside is short distance away along the road to the right, making this a possible place to break the journey.
Please consider setting up a direct debit donation to help support the continued maintenance and updates to Walkhighlands.
