Bikepacking moorland, forest and coast — Adventures Around Aberdeenshire

A fascinating and diverse off-road cycling tour of Aberdeenshire, the Adventures Around Aberdeenshire route takes in many of the highlights and points of historical and cultural interest this county has to offer. Linking these there are different types of trail on offer, from moorland tracks, ancient drovers' trails and modern forest roads, to cycle paths on disused railway line beds, and numerous small roads and quiet lanes.

From the coast to the mountains, through farmland and forest, sand dunes and wind farms, past castles and sleepy fishing ports, ancient monuments and modern cities, there's something for everyone is this tour. There are plenty of accommodation options along the way, and many cafés and restaurants, distilleries and ice-cream parlours to visit too.

Perhaps a night in a bothy appeals to you? Then the route goes past Charr bothy in Glen Dye. If you fancy a rugged and exhilarating ride to the top of Mount Keen and back, then just keep high up on Glen Tanar and ride the loop around the most easterly of all the Monroes. At the upper end of the Dee Valley you'll go through the Balmoral Estate where the Queen has her Scottish residence. In the Dee Valley there is the potential to visit several whiskey distilleries. The Linn of Dee where the river is forced through a narrow gorge shouldn't be missed.

Stone circles and an Iron Age fort mark your journey to Pressendye, before traversing the edge of the Cairngorms towards the coast at Portsoy, with a diversion past ancient quarries near Huntly and another distillery in Glen Dronach. Ride along the coastline of the Moray Firth, passing through through Banff and McDuff, before riding back up into the hills through moor and farmland before joining part of the Formantine and Buchanan Way for a few miles from Strichen. It's not long before you turn off towards the coastal sand dunes.

A tranquil few miles are spent riding around the Loch of Strathbeg with its fascinating history and ruined castle, coast guard houses and the pretty Rattray Head lighthouse. You head back inland once again to rejoin the Formantine and Buchanan way, a disused railway line now converted to a cycle route, but first a quick tour of the Forest of Deer.

The Adventures Around Aberdeen route concludes on the traffic-free cycle route almost all the way back into Aberdeen, before turning off the route and following bits of the River Don back into the granite city.