B9023

The B9023 is a short B-road in east Banffshire. In addition to its local function it forms part of a popular route (with B9022, A97, B9001 and A96) between a section of the Moray Firth coast and Aberdeen.

Route

Woodside, near Cornhill

The route starts on the B9022 at Brodiesord, on the edge of a wood, and heads southeastwards, soon entering open country. It crosses a vast flat landscape of fields and scattered houses, a quick double kink taking it across the Burn of Boyne, before it passes through the remains of a disused railway embankment. Although the embankment has been partially removed, this is one of the few places where a typical Great North of Scotland Railway wooden station building survives (now privately owned). We meet no other public roads for this section, and after crossing another burn a long straight leads us into the small village of Cornhill, where there is a crossroads on the A95. The approach to the junction is narrow and almost blind, between two old roadside houses, but the road beyond is considerably wider, and after passing a handful of houses it leaves the village behind.

The route climbs a little through trees before bending left then right to go round the Park estate and pass to the east of the actual Corn Hill. After emerging from the trees, a long straightish section leads south before the route bears more easterly to go through the scattered settlement of Finnygaud continuing down to Knowes of Elrick, where it TOTSOs left. Traffic for Aberdeen goes straight ahead here, on an unclassified road to reach the A97. The B9023 then crosses a small valley before climbing gently onto Auchintool Moss, from where another long straight leads into Aberchirder. The route follows Cornhill Road into the town centre, from where it continues ahead along Huntly Road, dropping down to end at a T-junction on the A97, South Street.

History

When first classified, the B9023 began on the A95 at Cornhill. The road from Brodiesord to Cornhill was added to the itinerary when the B9022 was extended northwards through Brodiesord at some point before 1932. A further change was the addition of North Street in Aberchirder as a branch from the main line along Huntly Road. This appears to have been added c1945, but was removed in 2017 when the council carried out a review of their classified road network.