Maud to Deer Abbey

Maud Station at the junction of the lines from Peterhead and Fraserburgh.

Maud was also the junction of several roads. Originally the settlement was called Bank of Behitch after a natural embankment used by carters to unhitch horses. When the station was first opened in July 1861 it and the growing settlement became  Brucklay Junction before changing to New Maud, to distinguish it from nearby Auld Maud,  eventually becoming known just  as Maud.

This section of line follows the valley created by the South  Ugie Water. The track meanders along the valley bottom in several gentle bends, these make for a more interesting walk than the long straight sections on the Maud to Fraserburgh branch.

Along the track there are several interesting relics of the railway. There are many original cast iron fence posts. These were usually manufactured by Harper and Co of Aberdeen and some bear an inscription to this effect. There are occasional surviving mile posts, the example pictured indicates 32.5 miles from Aberdeen.

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A lengthman's hut, unlike wooden examples seen so far, this hut is constructed from concrete panels and probably dates from the 1950s

Rosebay willow herb growing by an occupation crossing, this led to a small stone quarry close to the track

Common toadflax (Linaria vulgaris)

Along the track there is a range of  tree species including ash, mountain ash, elm, willow, elder, hawthorn and apple. Wild flowers include heartsease, scabious, bluebells, hardheads, vetches and willowherbs.