Kincardineshire
Kincardineshire | |||
Location Map ( geo) | |||
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Other Important Destinations | |||
Banchory • Stonehaven | |||
Current Highway Authorities | |||
Aberdeen • Aberdeenshire | |||
Borders | |||
Aberdeenshire • Angus | |||
Transport Scotland Roads | |||
A90 | |||
Kincardineshire is a small traditional county on the east coast of Scotland. It is perhaps one of the least memorable of the northern counties, having had no council since 1975, and now mostly falling under the control of Aberdeenshire Council. It also doesn't take its name from the county town (Stonehaven), but instead from a place called Kincardine, which effectively ceased to exist in the middle ages.
Geography & Economy
The county has a wide, fertile coastal strip which includes most of the towns and villages, lying scattered amongst the farmland. The northern county border follows the River Dee out of Aberdeen, meaning that a significant part of the city falls in Kincardineshire. The town of Banchory, which lies on the north bank of the river, is also in the county, and is one of its larger towns. The interior of the county is hillier and sparsely populated, with forestry and grouse moors covering many of the slopes.
Stonehaven has long been an important fishing port, but its proximity to Aberdeen has meant that in recent years it has been swept up in the North Sea oil boom. Banchory too is in the commuter belt, although it has a somewhat more genteel air, having originally gained favour by being on 'Royal Deeside', so loved by Queen Victoria. The fortunes of the county, with the recent problems in the oil industry, are now uncertain, but the older industries that have survived, farming and tourism should help maintain much of the prosperity.
Roads
Most of the road network lies along the coastal zone or Deeside, where a good network of B and unclassified roads exist, supporting the main A90, A92 and A93 routes. In the upland west of the county, there is essentially just the one road, the B974 Cairn o'Mount route which is an old military road crossing the hills from Fettercairn to Deeside.
Most non-trunk roads within the traditional county are maintained by Aberdeenshire Council, although the urban area south of Aberdeen falls under Aberdeen Council. The only trunk route in the county is the A90, and it is managed by Transport Scotland. Construction of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route is now underway, and will see big changes to the road network between Stonehaven and Aberdeen. The A90 will be re-routed, but other changes are yet to be confirmed.
Route | From | To | Length |
|
---|---|---|---|---|
A90 | Edinburgh | Fraserburgh | 146 miles | View |
A92 | Dunfermline | Blackdog | 111 miles | View |
A93 | Perth | Aberdeen | 108.3 miles | View |
A937 | Laurencekirk | Montrose | 9.9 miles | View |
A943 | Aberdeen | Banchory | 16.6 miles | View |
A956 | Cleanhill | Bridge of Don | 11.2 miles | View |
A957 | Glasslaw Bridge | Crathes | 14.848 miles | View |
A980 | Banchory | Alford | 20.6 miles | View |
B966 | Brechin | Fordoun | 18.7 miles | View |
B967 | Fordoun | Inverbervie | 5.995 miles | View |
B974 | Marykirk | Banchory | 22.861 miles | View |
B976 | Strachan | Gairnshiel Lodge | 35.801 miles | View |
B976 | Banchory | Alford | 20.6 miles | View |
B977 | Raemoir House | Rashiereve | 32.2 miles | View |
B978 | Stonehaven | Banchory | 13.9 miles | View |
B979 | Stonehaven | Belscamphie | 34.0 miles | View |
B981 | Maryculter Bridge | Milltimber | 0.8 miles | View |
B982 | Marywell | Aberdeen | 4.3 miles | View |
B9077 | Aberdeen | Crathes | 13.7 miles | View |
B9120 | Fettercairn | Lauriston, nr St Cyrus | 9.4 miles | View |
C15K | Inverbervie | Lauriston | 8.6 miles | View |
C31K | Cutties Wood | Glacks Hill | 3.8 miles | View |
T30 | Perth | Inverness | View |
Key
Junctions
Bridges, Tunnels, and other Crossings