The Deeside Trail is really a mountain biking route – you could do it on a gravel bike but it wouldn’t be quick and your body might not thank you afterwards. Deeside has a lot of estate and hill doubletrack which makes for great gravel riding though. Aiming for later in 2021 I’ll have worked out some gravel routes in the area – suitable for 40mm+ 700c tyres on drop bar bikes. In the meantime there are some ideas below from Trailforks and Komoot. Very few are without a fair bit of climbing except for the Deeside Way.
Deeside Way
Shared used path from Aberdeen to Ballater. http://www.deesideway.org/. Good gravel riding from Banchory to Ballater, part paved from Banchory to Aberdeen.
Banchory
55km, 700m climbing – https://www.komoot.com/smarttour/1373771?ref=wsd
Aboyne
40km, 800m climbing – https://www.trailforks.com/route/aboyne-xc–gravel-ride/
35km, 1000m climbing – https://www.trailforks.com/route/glen-tanner-hard/
27km, 350m climbing – https://www.komoot.com/smarttour/4107318?ref=wsd
Alford
60km, 950m climbing – https://northernlightweights.wordpress.com/seven-castles/
Ballater
50km, 450m climbing – https://www.komoot.com/smarttour/1379882?ref=wsd
50km, 800m climbing – https://www.komoot.com/smarttour/1379854?ref=wsd
35km, 450m climbing – https://www.komoot.com/smarttour/1379868?ref=wsd
80km, 1300m climbing – https://www.komoot.com/smarttour/1373479?ref=wsd
50km, 800m climbing – https://www.komoot.com/smarttour/4107357?ref=wsd
Braemar
40km, 700m climbing – https://www.komoot.com/smarttour/1373439?ref=wsd
DIY
If you’d like to put together your own gravel routes I’d recommend looking at these areas on Trailforks to piece something together:
Fetteresso – between Stonehaven and Banchory
Fungle/Firnmouth – south of Aboyne
Crathie – South of Ballater
The Deeside Trail 