Hello,

Bikepacking trip with my wife this weekend. Where should we aim to eat and drink around Deeside?

Cheers!

Whereabouts on Deeside?

Pub wise:
The Boat Inn in Aboyne is good, so is The Deeside Inn in Ballater (handily across the road from CycleHighlands if you need any spares).
I’ve been told the Potarch Inn (just outside Banchory) is good too but I haven’t been in since the place was refurbished.

Cafes:
The Bothy in Ballater is nice. The one attached to Braemar Mountain Sports in Braemar is too.

Where in Deeside?
Are you doing the Deeside Way?

Deeside Thistle CC seem to stop at the Brown Sugar cafe in Ballater, seemed ok to me.

If you go as far as Tarland then I can recommend the Commercial Hotel there.

Riverside Cottage at Cambus O’May between Aboyne and Ballater is pretty good! It is just at the road end of a small trail network and has potential to be linked into a bigger ride. Handily it is opposite the Deeside way and it is only a few km’s back into Ballater

Second the bothy.

Platform 22 in torphins is great.

Braemar mountain sports is overpriced I reckon . It’s as expensive as mountain cafe above Aviemore mountain cafe but without the quality of food imo. The cafe on the road out of braemar to Linn of Dee is far better imo.

Platform 22 is good – it is!

The Deeside Activity Centre at Dess (before Aboyne) is also good. Been in many’s a time after a Glen Tanar session.

I agree the Mountain Cafe not that great

Dee-licious in Banchory is also a fine cafe.

Thanks so much for all the responses. Looks like it’s going to be a fantastic weekend!!!

Enjoy your riding…

I’ll be surprised if you manage to fit any riding in what with all the cake it sounds like you’ll be eating 😆