Aberdeen to Royal Deeside, and beyond… 
It might not be route 66, but to me it’s one of the best drives on the planet. It’s a trip that takes you west out of Aberdeen on the north east coast of Scotland, through Royal Deeside (the Royal Family’s route of escape every summer), and through into the Cairngorm National Park. If you’re looking for scenery, it’s got it in spades. Rolling hills? Check. Wild rivers? Yep. Towering mountains? Woah, yes. Terrifying wooden men in kilts? Sadly, aye. At 57 miles from Aberdeen to Braemar, this isn’t the longest road trip on earth. Drive straight there without any stops and you’ll easily make it in two hours. But there’s no way you can resist stopping off on this journey. There are too many forests, hills, mountains and wee towns to explore, and a lot of history packed in along the way. It’s definitely a drive that Gore-Tex-clad types are going to enjoy, because around every corner there’s the chance to climb, ramble and hike. From family-friendly favourites like Scolty in Banchory, to more formidable foe like the 930m ascent of Lochnagar, and the Munros of the Cairngorms, there are climbs to challenge every hillwalker. It’s also a great drive for those with an interest in Scottish history or the Royal Family. Ever since Queen Victoria first set eyes on the place in 1848 the Windsors have been taking this route to their Scottish home at Balmoral every summer. For me, personally, it’s the drive of my dreams, one that instantly relaxes me the second I set off, and one I took every summer as a kid, and still do. In fact, if I don’t get to hit that Deeside road at least once a year I start to crave it til I break out in London-induced hives. As a tiny kid crammed in the back of the car with my sister, cousins, and two week’s worth of camping gear, the 50 mile drive from Aberdeen to our Deeside caravan seemed to take forever. I swear I thought it was a 2-day drive – the scenery changes so much I figured I must be in another country if not on another planet. The drive itself One of the reasons this drive is so appealing is that you’re following the beautiful River Dee the whole way. Two roads run alongside the river - the North and South Deeside roads. The North Road, the A93, is the main route to Royal Deeside running westward from Aberdeen through Banchory, Aboyne, Ballater and Braemar and on to Perth. The South Road is quieter and offers a pretty alternative between Aberdeen and Crathie. If you’re a history buff or obsessed with all things regal then check out the Victorian Heritage Trail, which constantly criss-crosses between the two roads and the river, pinpointing places of interest along the way – from ruined castles to hill walks. The North Road is the one we’re heading along, and you can check it out in finer detail using the good ol’ AA route planner. Where to stop – and why... Aboyne 
This town 32 miles out of Aberdeen was an essential stop for us on every trip – mainly because the chances were one of us needed the toilet/spilled some ice cream/was fighting with our sister by that point. Stop off in the main square and there’s plenty of parking. Just across the road there’s a public toilet, which is free to use. You’ll find a couple of tasty cafes in town, including the Black Faced Sheep, a Hill Trek mountaineering shop for any essentials you might have forgotten, and a charity shop we always check out for unusual bargains (I once walked out of here with a cool pair of 70s curtains and every single album by 10CC for less than a tenner. What a haul). It’s also got a couple of shops that are good for stocking up or picking up snacks. There’s a little Co-Op supermarket and there’s Strachan’s – they have a few shops in the Grampian region, and sell everything from toys to whisky (catering to Scots of all ages, then). If you time your arrival right you can also check out the Aboyne Highland Games that take place every August. It’s a fun day out in the big games field you can see from the car park, with dancing, caber tossing, face painting and enough tartan to bring on a migraine. Ballater 
Onwards and upwards, and you’ll notice the scenery start to open up as you approach Ballater – on a clear day you’ll get spectacular views of craggy Lochnagar. If anything you’ll get to see the hill at the back of Ballater that everybody calls the Bowl of Potted Heid. I’ll be honest and admit that I don’t actually know the real name of this hill, only that it’s the same shape as this truly disgusting Scottish butchery product. Ballater was another favourite stop, this time so my mum could explore the antique shops, galleries, and book shop (still a great place to browse), and so we could go to the toy shop and…gasp…sweetie factory. Yes. That’s right. Demand is so high for boiled sweets round here that this tiny town has its own (admittedly tiny) factory. Head for the main parking square by the old train station - where Queen Victoria used to get the train to, now a small museum – and you can’t miss it. The Dee Valley Confectioners it’s called. Ah, sweet memories… If you have time, and you’re belly’s got room, it’s also well worth checking out Chalmers the baker by the church in the centre of town. It’s one of the best places to try Balmoral Loaf – a delicious oaty rye bread that’s only made round these parts, and a whole host of other unhealthy-but-delicious baked goods that have been causing heart attacks in the north east-of Scotland for generations. Crathie and Balmoral 
Now the drive gets truly special. Driving alongside the majestic River Dee, which is so dark it looks like a river of Guinness at times, the mountains grow larger, the heather turns purple, and the trees surround you. Crathie’s only 8 miles further along the road, and this tiny village, home to only a few houses, a wee school and a church, is the place to stop if you want to take a tour of Balmoral. You can visit the church that the Royals attend while they’re up here, there’s a rest stop for those that need, and a little gift shop too. Balmoral is open 10am – 5pm to visitors from Tuesday 1st April until Thursday 31st July, when the Queen gets here for her holiday, but you do have to pay to get in. The Windsors used to tease you here too – the more you paid the more you got to see – but today the entry fee allows you to explore the grounds and quite a few of the castle’s rooms. It’s a beauty alright, the gardens especially, and the small ballroom covered in stags’ heads and antlers is worth a peek too. Lochnagar 
From Crathie Kirk you can see straight across to Lochnagar. Without a doubt it stands out from the rest of the mountains and hills up here. There’s something majestic about it, and imposing too. As dangerous as it is beautiful, that’s half the appeal. There are lots of routes up to Lochnagar, and I’ll leave you to plot those yourselves, depending on your skill level. But I can recommend it to anyone for the views over the loch, the views from the peak, and for the challenging experience itself. Braemar 
9 miles further and you’ll arrive at Braemar, and on the way you’ll spy Braemar Castle by the river. It’s another place that’s definitely worth a visit if you’re a history buff. Braemar’s a very popular spot in summer, often loaded with coaches full of OAPs on tour. This can make parking a little tricky, since the town’s so small, but there are now two main carparks in the centre of town. Braemar more than caters to the tourist crowd, with wool shops, wool shops and more wool shops. It’s tartan overload to be honest, but still a beautiful old village that’s well worth a walk around in. There are a couple of outdoor sports shops here for essential items, plenty of places to stock up on food and ice cream, and you’ll find a great cycle hire shop here too if you plan on doing some mountain biking. There are also a couple of hotels with scenic views if you fancy extending your trip in comfort. Braemar’s a great base from which to explore further into the Cairngorms – so if you’re a hiking, cycling, or watersports fanatic then check out the Cairngorms National Park site to see what’s on offer. And it’s another town that hosts its own Highland Games each year, this time with the Queen usually in attendance. Mar Lodge and Linn o’ Dee 
If you have the time, I highly recommend driving on just a little further to one of my favourite places on earth – the Linn o’ Dee. It’s a bit of a hairy drive at times, with some steep single track roads and sharp bends, but it’s well worth it. The forest swallows you up then spits you out overlooking the gorgeous old Mar Lodge Estate. You can now rent rooms at Mar Lodge, and its ballroom is a treat that’ll highly offend animal lovers. Carry on round the bend from Mar Lodge and you’ll find lots of bothies and hostels to stay at if you’re hiking. Cross the bridge at the Linn o’ Dee and you’ll be rewarded with some of the most beautiful woodland you’ll ever see. These pine forests are vast, with the powerful River Dee crashing through it, fed by the mountain streams all around. The result is some spectacular waterfalls and rocks battered and smoothed over the centuries to form crazy water-spewing potholes (we called the witches’ cauldrons), and huge slabs slithering out into the water – perfect for stretching out and sunbathing on in summer. You want more? 
This is a short trip really, just over 60 miles if you include the Linn o’ Dee, so easily manageable in a day. If you want to explore further it’s easy to extend your journey right on through the Cairngorms and on via Perth to Glasgow (167 miles from Aberdeen this way) and the west coast. Or you might want to head up north through the Cairngorm National Park and explore more of the Highlands, heading for Inverness and Loch Ness, if you’re a fan of chasing mythical monsters. Over to the west coast from Inverness there’s stunning scenery as far as the eye can see, and Oban waiting on the coast. This really is a gorgeous wee town, a favourite summer hangout of the late great John Peel, and one of the country’s most popular “resort towns” – to me that conjures up images of Tenerife hotel strips. But this is Scotland, so it ain’t like that. Imagine Tenerife wrapped in a fleece-lined Gore-Tex. Or, in fact, take a look for yourself. Pretty huh? And there’s an added bonus for those looking to get fat on their travels – Oban is one of Scotland’s best spots for seafood, so fill your belly. Heading home If you don’t want to extend your drive west, and you’re heading back in an Aberdeen direction, may I recommend one more stop for you – secretly one of the best chips shops of all time. God help our parents if we didn’t make a stop at the Ashvale in Banchory every time we headed home from our trip. In fact, I think my mum and dad were just as likely to throw a tantrum if we didn’t stop there for a fish supper either. Tucked away off the main road on Watson Street, you would never know this was here unless you were local – or unless you’re reading this. Don’t say I’m not good to you. Bon appetite, happy driving – and try the white pudding supper – it’s my favourite.
