| 1. This is a mixed route, mostly on quiet roads, but with small elements of pathways to negotiate, that has gently rolling gradients. Some of the off-road sections are difficult to navigate, but just about passable on a road bike/hybrid.
Head out of the Railway station, turn right onto Guild Street, A93, and go to the A956 crossroads. At the crossroads turn right, off the A93 onto Market Street, A956. Follow this over the river and then take the first left onto South Esplanade East.
Follow this as it bends right, becomes Crombie Place and goes to a crossroads. At the crossroads turn left onto Sinclair Road and follow this as it becomes Greyhope Road and follows the river out to the North Sea. Continue to follow Greyhope Road between the Nigg Bay golf course and the North Sea as it rounds the lighthouse, hugs the shoreline and goes on till the T junction.
At the junction, turn left, continuing to follow the shoreline past the large building and alongside the railway line. The road then turns right and left over the railway bridge and continues to follow the line past Altens, where the road moves away from the railway line and becomes Coast Road. The road bends gently left towards Cove Bay and then turns sharp right to become Langdykes Road. At this point you need to turn off left still following the coastline abd skirting Cove Bay.
Having turned off left, follow the road till it once more turns sharp right and becomes Loirston Road. Cove Rangers Football Ground is now on your left. Take the first left, just past the ground, still called Loirston Road, and follow this past the ground and St Mary's Episcopal Church, after which it turns sharp right and becomes Ciove Road. Follow this road through Cove, then swings right, becomes Lafferty Place and comes to a crossroads.
At the crossroads, turn left onto Wellington Road, heading towards Portlethen. Follow the road to a T junction, where you turn left and go on till the A90 slip road roundabout, which is shown as a construnction site on the map.
At the roundabout/construction site, turn left onto the A90 slip road, and then turn left off this before the A90 onto the road running parallel to the A90. Follow this until you effectively come to a T junction. Turn left onto the road and follow this over a railway bridge, swing round to the right, and go back under a railway bridge. Immediately after this take the first turn off to the left onto Thistle Drive.
Follow this road parallel to the railway line, sharp left under the railway bridge and on till the T junction. at the junction turn right onto Cookston Road and follow this back over the railway bridge into Portlethen.
Immediately after the railway bridge take the left turn off onto Bruntland Road. Follow this till the left turn off just before the School, heading towards Downies. Turn left onto Oak Drive and swing round the school on this till the left turn off just past the schools main car park. Turn left and follow the road across the railway bridge and on into Downies.
In Downies, take the first right and follow the road down to a large house. At this point you continue on the straight line you were on and go onto a pathway. This goes on to a point where it turns right and forks. Follow the right fork onto a smaller path which bends left, goes across the burn and goes down the side of a field to meet up with a road.
At the road, turn left, go past the farm buidings and down to the ruins of a croft. At this point, you head back onto a track which forks. Follow the left fork which then sweeps around to the right, heading away from the coastline. This will then turn back into a road. Take the first sharp dogleg left on this to head towards Newtonhill.
Follow the road across the crossroads and through another path to Millman Mews. Turn right onto this and follow it sharp right onto Old Mill Road. Follow this parallel to the railway lines and then turn sharp right over the railway bridge onto Newtonhill Road.
Follow this to the roundabout, where you turn left, then swing round right and go over the A90. Take the first turn off on the right onto Station Road, and follow this as it swings left and passes by a group of houses on your left. Take the first turn on the left after these. Follow this road to the buildings. Kink past these and go onto a path on the same line that the road followed. Follow this path to the road for the farm. Follow this road and take the first turn off to the right.
Follow this road past another set of farm buildings and the take the first left. Follow this road as it turns sharp right then swings slowly left past more farm buildings taking you to a T junction. Turn right and then take the first left. Follow this road till the B979 T junction.
At the junction, turn left onto the B979, heading towards Cowie Park, Stonehaven, and follow this to the T junction at the A90 slip road.
At the junction turn right, still on the B979, and go under the A90, under the railway bridge, and on till the mini-roundabout. Turn right at the mini-roundabout, still on the B979, and take the first left, just before the caravan park, onto Beach Road. Follow this to the shoreline and the North Sea.
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