B9152

The B9152 follows the old route of the A9 in Strathspey.

Snow in Aviemore

The route starts at an end-on junction with the A86 on the eastern edge of Kingussie, with that road providing the slip roads onto the A9. The route's entire length, some 13 miles, is then spent heading northeastwards along the Spey Valley, sandwiched between the A9 and the railway line, with the River Spey just beyond that. At first it runs alongside the railway line, then passes through the tiny settlement of Lynchat - little more than a line of roadside houses. The A9 then sweeps back towards the railway, meaning that at times the two routes are just a hedgerow apart. As the B9152 meanders back towards the railway, a left turn passes under the A9 into the Highland Wildlife Park, and this is the busiest junction in the first few miles of the route! At length the route reaches Kincraig, where a minor road crosses the Spey to join the B970 on the far side of the valley. Beyond this the route runs through a large forestry plantation on Dalraddy Moor, beyond which it briefly picks up a section of military road, which was built through the valley nearly 300 years ago.

The 'village' of Alvie is passed - a few houses dotted along the roadside and around the shores of Loch Alvie, where the road has some tight bends and the speed limit is reduced to 50mph. We then reach Lynwilg, where a very short spur links to the A9, providing the southern junction for Aviemore, and so substantially increasing the volume of traffic on the route. The space between the A9 and railway is now at its narrowest, and some of this section was a new road built when the 'new' A9 cut across its old route. A mile further on a spur of the B970 turns east at a roundabout, leading into the heart of the Cairngorms and the Ski Centre. This then is the entrance to Aviemore, a small town with a big reputation as a tourist destination. It is always busy, whether with summer holidaymakers, mountain climbers, or skiers and winter sports fanatics. It is also home to the Strathspey Steam Railway. There are plans for a major redevelopment of the hotel complex too, which may see the town become even busier.

Traffic can be stop start as it slowly works its way north along the main street - Grampian Road - with several pedestrian crossings, shops on both sides and numerous turnings into small car parks. A roundabout provides access to the retail park and hotel resort complex, after which the route becomes more suburban as it runs north through the growing town. In recent years new housing has been built on the far side of the A9, and right the way out across the railway to the riverbank, so further development is likely on the northern edge of the town as well. For now, though, there is over half a mile from the edge of the urban area to the end of the B9152. This is a TOTSO junction where the A95 continues ahead, and also turns left to meet the A9 at Aviemore's northern junction.