Much to my surprise, Mrs B has expressed an interest in walking the Deeside Way with me at Easter as a warm-up for my Challenge. However, she will only do this if it does not include sleeping under canvas or in any other sort of improvised shelter.

So I am looking to find some accommodation for each night of the walk.

I had thought to do it in 3 days (Aberdeen to Peterculter; Peterculter to Potarch; Potarch to Ballater). However, my online researches are not producing any evidence of B&B, guest house or hotel accommodation in Peterculter; across the river in Maryculter the Old Mill Inn appears to have closed whilst the Maryculter House Hotel looks a tad on the pricey side; and the Potarch Hotel also appears to have closed for refurbishment.

The "official" breakdown of the Deeside Way is into four sections; Aberdeen to Drumoak; Drumoak to Banchory; Banchory to Aboyne; and Aboyne to Ballater. If we make it a four day walk then I know that there is plentiful accommodation in Banchory and Aboyne; but there does not appear to be anything in Drumoak - and doubling up to do Aberdeen to Aboyne is probably to big an ask for Mrs B on the first day.

I suppose we could do it the other way and double up on the last day (not much to stop and enjoy on the way in the Aberdeen suburbs, and she'll be better "walked in" by then).

Alternatively, does anybody know of any good accommodation which is still open, which will enable the original plan of walking it in the Aberdeen - Ballater direction, to either a 3-day or a 4-day schedule, feasible?

No, but just a suggestion...Laura and I walked a stretch then caught the bus back to our accommodation and returned by bus in the morning (full pack carried at all times as it was a last minute/on the hoof decision) you could do something similar? We weren't the only ones on that bus...

I'm with Louise on this. It's a good service, pretty much hourly.

Jeremy

I live between Aberdeen and Peterculter (our house backs onto the Deeside Way) and that would be a very short day. It takes me about one and a quarter hours to walk to the start of the Deeside Way in Aberdeen and 45 minutes to go the other way to Peterculter. Better, I think, to do Aberdeen - Banchory then Banchory to Aboyne, finishing with a short day to Ballater, stopping in Dinnet for lunch.

Plenty accommodation in Banchory and probably in Aboyne (eat in the Boat Inn).

If you want to stay in Peterculter, I know that Furain Guest House (http://www.furain.co.uk/) is well thought of but I know very little about it. I can confirm that the Old Mill at Maryculter has closed - but I was a pretty grim place.

Get back to me if you need any more information.

Ian -

Thank you.

I always wanted to have a short first day. The idea is to take the camper van to Ballater and book a pitch for the whole time we will be walking; we will then take a bus into Aberdeen on the first walking day, so we'll be starting reasonably late.

My wife is not a long-distance walker like us, and this will be her first taste of stringing walks of any great distance together back-to-back; so I want an easy first day to help her get "walked in".

Many thanks to all for your comments and contributions.

Jeremy


If you were asked to write the next question to be answered at the bottom of people's posts, what would it be?

As people have said, the bus service is not bad - there is an hourly service to Ballater and I have found it to be quite reliable. I'd recommend the cafe at Milton of Crathes for coffee and scones.

I'm in Banchory and echo Ian's thoughts and suggestions.