B976 (Banchory - Alford)

This article is about the original B976 over the Aberdeenshire hills.
For the current B976 in Strathdee, see B976.

The A980 (former B976) at Kintochter

The original B976 followed a route through central Aberdeenshire to the north of Deeside. It started on the A93 in Banchory and headed north to meet the B977 where it turned westwards. It then went through Torphins where it crossed the B975 and Lumphanan, climbing to a summit of over 300m below the Hill of Maud. After crossing the B974 (now the B9119), the route headed north, following the meandering Leochel Burn between the hills as it flows downstream into the Howe of Alford, where it ended on the A944 to the west of Alford itself.

The route is still depicted on the 1926 Michelin Map, but was upgraded to Class I status later in the 1920s. It was entirely renumbered as the A980, which it remains.

The 1922 MOT Road List defines this route as: Banchory - Torphins - Lumphanan - Alford