The route from Inverurie to Aberdeen is 18.1 miles long and heads south and then east out of the town. There is 1,047 feet of ascending, reaching a high-point of 486 feet, and the undulating nature of the terrain means this route gets a difficulty rating of 6.Inverurie is the largest town in Aberdeenshire with a population of around 14,000, and is known locally as the Centre of the Garioch (pronounced Geery). The town sits on the River Ury, which joins the Don nearby, and was founded in 1308, though its first mention in royal charters isnt until 1558. If outdoor history is your thing, then the Easter Aquhorthies stone circle dating back to the 3rd century BC is worth a visit, as is Pictish stone symbol known as the Brandsbutt Stone. There is an excellent range of shops and eateries in the town, as well as a regular farmers market.
You will initially head south out of Inverurie, before turning east and hitting a short but sharp hill at 0.8 miles. You will cycle through pretty farmland on undulating roads, reaching the high point of the route at 7.1 miles. You will then have a nice descent in to the town of Newmachar which has a number of good cafes and eateries. Newmachar is a market town that was founded in 1609 as part of the Parish of St Machars Cathedral. Now heading more south than east, you continue through farmland before crossing the Aberdeen ring road at 12.7 miles. At this point you will still feel like you are in the country, but looks can be deceiving you actually pass very close to Aberdeen International Airport and the area of Dyce, which is the centre of the oil and gas industry in the city.The final part of the route is entirely urban – you are now on busy roads so please take care. You will pass through the residential areas of Bridge of Don, Middleton and Danestone, which together form the largest suburb in Europe. You then go over the new Don Crossing which was opened in 2016 at a cost of 22.3m, before finishing your cycle at the citys university.This area, called Old Aberdeen, is the most ancient part of the city. It is worth taking some time to look at Kings College Chapel (completed in 1510) and the Cathedral Church of St Machars (which has been a place of worship since 580, with the current cathedral built between 1380 and 1520). If you are looking for something more contemporary, then visit the university library which was opened in 2012 and won prestigious British and Scottish architecture awards. There are some places close by that offer food and drink, or you could cycle one mile south in to the city centre where you will find an array of options to keep you fuelled.
By clicking on the play symbol on the graphic below you can see route map. The elevation profile of the ride can be seen via the Hills tab with files for use with a GPS a device also available for download. If you take any photos of the route that youd like to share, please submit to neil@velodays.comOnward rides from Aberdeen can be found here
Route map for Inverurie To Aberdeen by Neil Innes on plotaroute.com
