Highland outdoors writer Peter Evans publishes new guide to the Deeside Way

A Highland-based outdoors writer has published the first guide to one of Scotland's long-distance trails.

Peter Evans, who is a contributor to the long-running Active Outdoors series for Highland News and Media and a previous editor of The Great Outdoors and Climber magazines, penned the first draft of the Deeside Way guide before lockdown.

Now, after months of waiting and some fine tuning, the book was finally published on September 2.

Mr Evans, who lives in Lochardil in Inverness, is delighted to see the guide available in the shops and encouraged people to get out and explore the rich area of Royal Deeside.

He said: "It’s quite an interesting and varied route, and because it’s along the line of the old railway – apart from one section from Banchory to Aboyne, which is a bit more hilly and on forest tracks and paths – it’s really not a very strenuous long-distance path.

"The sections are broken down into very usable distances so that you can enjoy the scenery along the way without feeling like you’re doing a route march.

"Although the route is linear, the book also contains lots of walks that can be done away from the actual Way itself. So you’ve got Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve, then there’s Glen Tanar which is really worth visiting and there’s lots of historic interest, such as Crathie Castle. They all add to the flavour of the whole thing."

The Deeside Way stretches for 41 miles (66km) from Aberdeen to Ballater in the Cairngorms National Park. It is suitable for walkers and cyclists, with some sections also suitable for horses. The Deeside Way is also designated as Route 195 on the National Cycle Network.

• The Deeside Way by Peter Evans, published by Birlinn, is available now. Priced £16.99.

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