B999

The B999 is the main route from the outskirts of Aberdeen to the villages of Potterton, Udny, Pitmedden and Tarves. It runs through a rural area, and despite its B number, is often busier than other A class roads in Aberdeenshire such as the A948 or A981.

Route

Kirkhill Road Junction

The B999 begins at the Murcar Roundabout on the A92, just north of Aberdeen and heads north west. Almost immediately there are a couple of junctions, one for Bridge of Don retail park and another for a hotel. After a sharp bend to the right, the route heads north, passing ex-landfill sites as it climbs gently away from Aberdeen. The route follows some snaking bends and after a mile or so it crosses the A90 (Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route), then half a mile further on, it reaches the commuter village of Potterton, which has a lot of wooden houses. The B999 skirts the western side of the village on a long straight with two very slight bends just north of the crossroads by the village shop.

Meikle Tillyeve

After Potterton, the road becomes NSL again and after a few bends the standard generally improves. After a mile or so there is a staggered junction with the B977, which can be quite busy. The route then passes through the hamlet of Whitecairns, which is strung along another long straight section. The B979 to Newmachar (to reach the A947) then turns off to the left, and a lot of traffic used to turn here before the AWPR was opened. Continuing north the road remains mostly straight as it follows a line of low hills to the west with flatter agricultural land spreading out to the east. At the end of the straights, the road forks, with the right fork heading along an unclassified road to Cultercullen, while the B999 bears left. After a further short straight, at Tillycorthie there are 4 very sharp bends where the route crosses the disused railway which ran from Dyce to Fraserburgh and Peterhead.

The small village of Udny Station (alas, no station here any more) mostly lies off to the right, while the B999 continues slightly west of north along a series of short straights punctuated by bends of varying severity. There is a particularly sharp bend to the right at the junction for Udny Green, leading to another twisting section past the first junction with the B9000 and on into Pitmedden. The two routes enter the village in a multiplex, but there doesn't seem to be a street name until they split once more, with the B9000 forking left onto Old Meldrum Road, while the B999 continues ahead on Tarves Road. This runs fairly straight through the village and on, out across fields to a crossroads with the A920. Unusually, the A road has to give way to the B999 here.

Towards Tarves

The B999 now follows a sinuous route across the undulating landscape, passing Tolquhon Castle on the hillside to the left, and makes its way towards Tarves. Just before the village a long left hander carries the route over the Yarlie Burn, and a right turn leading to Haddo House is the original B999. The route sweeps into the village, passes the church and reaches The Square where it turns sharp left. This leads onto Duthie Road, which is lined with some fine old stone buildings at first before more modern housing takes over. At the far end, just beyond the edge of the village, the B999 has to TOTSO right at a crossroads heading north once more past a small housing estate and on across fields. The route dips down to cross the Raxton Burn and then winds north west, past the scattered houses of Wedderlairs, to meet the B9170 at a realigned T junction.

History

The B999 hasn't changed much since it was first classified in 1922. The two terminal junctions have seen improvements, and every single other classified route met has changed number at least once (The A92 was the A90 for over 25 years before reverting). The only significant change in the route is that it originally bypassed Tarves to the north. The original line turned continued north from the junction at the Yowlie Burn and ran up the long straight to Raxton, where it turned west to rejoin the modern route near Bourachie. The 1955 edition of the OS 10 mile map still shows the old route, while the 1956 edition shows the route passing through Tarves for the first time.

The 1922 MOT Road List defines this route as: Methlick - Pitmedden- Whitecairns - Cloverhill