B993

The B993 is one of the lengthy Aberdeenshire B-roads that is now much longer than its original 1922 route.

Route

Allancreich - Millbank

Potarch Bridge

The route starts in the trees on the B976 next to Allancreich farm and opposite the driveway to Ballogie House. A short straight leads north east before it turns and winds east through woodland and on into mixed forestry, following the Burn of Angels downstream. There are only a couple of roadside properties to see, but it is a pleasant run through the dappled sunlight to reach Potarch, where it crosses the River Dee. Just before the Potarch Bridge an unclassified right turn leads off to the south east, ultimately climbing to the Cairn o' Mount pass. The B993, however, crosses the narrow bridge and reaches a T-junction on the A93 immediately afterwards. There is then a multiplex north alongside the river for over a mile before the B993 regains its number by turning right just south of Kincardine o'Neil. From the eastbound A93, the B993 is signed here as an alternative route to Aberdeen, which is generally faster than staying on A93 as it avoids Banchory and the various suburbs from Peterculter inwards.

The road heads east, climbing out of the valley, with a long straight taking it through a shallow pass between the two hills of Ord Fundlie and Ord More. As the road descends, it curves northwards around the lower slopes of Ord Fundlie passing through fields with a few patches of woodland and a scattering of roadside farms. Before Torphins, the signed route to Aberdeen turns right on to an unclassified road leading to A980. Our road continues to Torphins where it runs into town along the straight Kincardine Road. It crosses the A980 at a slightly offset crossroads in the centre of the town and continues along The Square (which isn't) and St Marnan Road. The road quickly leaves town, crosses the Learney Burn and and runs along the edge of the valley as it climbs upstream. The lower slopes are a patchwork of small fields, but higher up the road winds through mixed woodland and forestry, as the gradient increases. There are some spectacular views south from this section across the hills of the Dee Valley, although precious few places to stop and admire them.

Road to Torphins

The summit is reached at around 300m, beyond which the route curves tightly round the hill, dropping slowly to reach the B9119 (former A974) which is crossed at the staggered Learney Crossroads. There are again some fine views north from the summit area, although often half hidden by trees, but as the road drops out of the trees the views return. For the next few miles, the road winds northwards through fields and patches of woodland. The route is hilly (but with no actually steep hills apart from the sudden dip over the burn near Tamnagorn) and only passes the occasional house. There are long sections without a centre line, but the road is generally wide enough for two cars to pass, and only a couple of junctions along the way. At length, the road reaches the A944 at a crossroads in the small village of Millbank. There is then a multiplex west for well over a mile to Tillyfourie, which marks the original western end of the B993.

Tillyfourie - Whiterashes

Passing Monymusk

At Tillyfourie, the road turns sharply right to regain its number and follows the Hollylinn Burn downstream before turning northeastwards adjacent to a dismantled railway line for the next couple of miles. For the first time on the route, outside the towns and villages, there is a steady scattering of roadside properties, sitting in the small fields and blocks of woodland. The old double bend under the railway has been removed and then the road drops steadily down a series of short straights into Strathdon. The pretty estate village of Monymusk lies off to the left, and then the route becomes windier as it follows the river downstream. The old railway line is met again; this time the bridge abutments remain and then the road bends to the left and heads north east past a golf course into Kemnay.

The town has mostly grown to the north. so the B993 runs along Grove Road on the south side of town, becoming Victoria Terrace by the primary school. A large, modern housing estate lies to the south, but is quickly passed and as the B993 winds out of town, fields stretch away to the south. Just beyond the edge of Kemnay, the route meets the B994 at a TOTSO junction, where it turns left, the B994 being a more direct route to Aberdeen for the numerous commuters who now live in Kemnay. The B993 now heads north and follows a couple of long straights across the undulating landscape of fields and scattered farms. After a couple of miles the river is neared once more but the road remains well above it, and follows a long descending bend across the hillside.

The A96 is met at the Inverurie Roundabout at the southern end of the town's bypass. To the south, the A96 is dualled all the way to Aberdeen, while the B993 crosses over and follows Elphinstone Road, the pre-bypass route of the A96, as it curves northwards through Port Elphinstone. Originally a separate village, Port Elphinstone is now really just a suburb of Inverurie, but retains many older houses interspersed amongst the modern infill. The River Don is crossed at Inverurie Bridge, after which the route turns right at a mini-roundabout to run along St James's Place. At the far end the ex-A96 bears round to the left; this is now the B9001 and the B993 TOTSOs right onto Keithhall Road. After going under the Aberdeen to Inverness railway line the road passes a cemetery to cross a narrow bridge over the River Urie.

Having left the town behind, the route heads south for a short distance before turning sharply left to regain its easterly course at an odd T-junction. The next few miles consist of more of the same: undulating countryside with the occasional wood, few public roads and several scattered buildings, with a handful of sharp corners thrown in towards the eastern end. Eventually the road reaches Whiterashes, where it ends at a T-junction on the A947.

History

The original extent of the B993

Originally the B993 started on the A944 at Tillyfourie and followed the short route northeastwards to the A96 at Inverurie. The road from there to Whiterashes was originally unclassified but had become an extension of the B993 by 1932. The original number of the road south to Tillydrine was the B975, whilst the section to Allancreich was unclassified; in c.1924 this became part of the B9093 but was quickly upgraded to become part of the A973. The B975 ceased to exist in 1934 and the B993 was extended south along it, then when the A973 was downgraded in the early 1970s, prior to 1974, the B993 gained its present southern end.

With the construction of the A96 Inverurie bypass, the B993 took over part of the pre-bypass route. The original approach to Port Elphinstone can still be followed either side of the A96, entering the town as Kemnay Road. For many years before the bypass opened, the two routes then multiplexed north across the Don before the B993 resumed on Keithhall Road. The most recent change to the route of the B993 took place in 2017 when Aberdeenshire Council carried out a review and adjusted the route in Torphins. Originally the route had doglegged west along the A980 and then followed Bridge Crescent to rejoin its present route, the straight through route now taken being blocked by the railway station. However, half a century after the railway closed, the B993 was re-routed onto the 'new' road through the old station site, although it had already been signed as going this way for many years.

The 1922 MOT Road List defines this route as: Tillyfourie Station - Kemnay - Port Elphinstone
An official document from 16-5-1934 details the following changes:
To be extended from Tillyfourie to Kincardine O'Neil proceeding southward from a junction with Route A944 (Mossat-Aberdeen) about 1½ miles south east of Tillyfourie, Aberdeenshire over the line of road hitherto numbered B975 to a junction with Route A974 (Milton of Logie-Kingsford) at Drumlasie, thence from a junction with Route A974 east of Drumlasie, south westward via the road hitherto numbered B975 to Bullwell, Torphins, Cockardie and a termination at a junction with Route A93 (Perth-Braemar-Aberdeen) at Barrowston House about ½ mile south east of Kincardine O'Neil