Ride.
Take a drive around north east Scotland, from the heart of the Cairngorms, through Royal Deeside, to the Aberdeenshire coast line, the Moray Firth and Speyside, this is a Scotland road trip you will never forget. Here’s how to drive the North East 250 around the east coast of Scotland.
- Miles: 257
- Start: Spittle of Glenshee
- End: Spittle of Glenshee
- Time: 7 hours, allow up to two days
- Suitability: all bikes and riders
Starting in Glenshee, the NE250 road trip begins by winding through the Cairngorm Mountains to Braemar, famed for the Highland Games, before continuing to explore the scenic Royal Deeside. Heading north, the route leads to Aberdeen, the granite city known for its street art and charming villages. From there, the NE250 heads toward Peterhead, offering hidden gems and majestic castles to discover along the way.
Heading west, the North East 250 guides you along the breathtaking Moray Firth coastline, dotted with charming fishing harbors nestled against the cliffs. Then, it turns south into Speyside, renowned for its iconic whisky distilleries. Finally, the route loops back to the Cairngorms, completing your journey around the NE250.
- Stage 1 – The Cairngorms and Royal Deeside – visit the pretty towns of Braemar, Ballater, Aboyne & Banchory on The River Dee.
- Stage 2 – Aberdeen and the Aberdeenshire Coast – with castles, quirky villages, street art, and dolphins, explore the NE coast of Scotland.
- Stage 3 – The Moray Firth – picturesque harbour villages, waves crashing over towering sea cliffs, huge swathes of beach, incredible changing light and not forgetting a famous soup.
- Stage 4 – Speyside – like whisky? Explore the distilleries of Speyside.
