B9002

This article is about the current B9002 through Insch in Aberdeenshire.
For the previous B9002 from Rhynie to Elrick, see B9002 (Rhynie - Elrick).
For the original B9002 from Inverurie to Fraserburgh, see B9002 (Inverurie - Fraserburgh).

The B9002 is a route of two halves in west Aberdeenshire.

Route

Mill of Carden - Gartley

Oyne Fork, the start of the route

The route starts at a triangular junction on the A96 at Mill of Carden and heads west, following a similar route to the Aberdeen to Inverness railway line. It soon passes under the railway, but doesn't deviate far from it as it winds westwards through the scattered settlements of Oyne. Kirkton of Oyne comes first, then after a couple of fields Oyne itself, with shop school and so on. The road crosses surprisingly flat land, although hills are not that far away to either side, and there's an excellent view of Bennachie to the left. Houses and farms remain dotted along the roadside for the next mile, latterly squeezed into the narrow strip of fields between road and railway. At length, the road zigzags over the railway line, but continues to follow it into Insch.

Insch Level Crossing

The entrance to the small town is marked by a modern housing estate and then a tractor dealership and other business premises line South Road before the B992 comes in from the right from the village centre. The B9002 is then the dominant number in a multiplex ahead past the station and over a level crossing before the B992 forks left on the edge of open country. The route continues ahead, still sharing the small valley with the railway line and a burn called The Shevock. The roadside is quite thickly wooded at first, hiding the steep slopes to the left, and even the railway disappears despite being just a few metres away to the right most of the time. Road and rail are slowly climbing uphill, and as the valley peters out, open fields spread out across the gentle slopes to either side. A scattering of properties can be seen, but this is a largely agricultural landscape.

Eventually, the boggy watershed is crossed and road and rail start to descend, passing either side of the Ardmore Distillery to enter Kennethmont. This small village is strung along the roadside for about half a mile, turning north out of the village to cross over the railway line again. After passing the visitor entrance to Leith Hall, owned by the NTS, the road winds gently downhill, heading towards the distinctive Hill of Noth on the far side of the wide valley. At the bottom of the hill, a sharper bend puts road and rail alongside each other once more. After a few hundred yards, however, the road bears left and crosses the tracks a final timeA short distance further on it reaches a T-junction on the A97, a short distance south of Gartly.

It could be assumed that the B9002 ends here but it doesn't. Turning left, the two routes multiplex along the A97 over over 5 miles before the B9002 reappears. There's no reason why anyone would need to follow the full length of the B9002, however, as the multiplex passes through Rhynie, from where the A941 follows a shorter and quicker route to the far end of the route.

Craig Castle - Elrick

The detached western section of the B9002 turns off the A97 in the valley of the Water of Bogie. It heads west and narrows to single track almost immediately as it passes the ruin of the Church of Old Auchindoir on the right and then the equally ruinous St Mary's Kirk in the trees to the left. The Burn of Craig lies down a steep bank in the trees and is crossed by a sharp bend to the left, after which the B9002 starts the long climb into the hills. The fields are soon left behind, and the route climbs steadily across the moors. Stands of trees provide windbreaks around the lonely farms, made even more lonely because many of them are deserted an ruinous. The hills have peeled back and this vast empty landscape can feel intimidating at best, and on a cold winters night perhaps worse. A summit of around 420m is reached on the flanks of Meikle Cairn, from where the route drops down past Elrick to reach a T-junction on the A941, where it ends.

History

On classification in 1922 the section of the present B9002 west of the A97 was part of the B9013 whilst the remainder was unclassified. It was quickly upgraded to Class I status, however, with the western section becoming part of the A941 and the eastern section the A979. The B9002 number came to the area around the same time, following an alternative route between the A97 and Elrick.

Our incarnation of the B9002 came into existence in 1935 when the A941 and B9002 swapped numbered west of the A97. The A979 remained until 1974 when it was downgraded and for some reason became an extension of the B9002.