View source for A93 road

{{Short description|Road in Scotland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2013}}
{{Infobox road
| country = GBR
| type = A
| route = 93
| map = [[File:A93 road map.png|200px]]
| map_custom = yes
| length_mi = 107
| length_ref = <ref>{{cite web|title=Driving directions to Wellington Pl/A93|url=https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Gowrie+St%2FA85&daddr=57.0508544,-3.0328459+to:57.0579039,-2.6266235+to:Wellington+Pl%2FA93&hl=en&ll=56.779818,-2.614746&spn=0.845672,2.480164&sll=57.01345,-2.837219&sspn=0.210098,0.620041&geocode=FTOWXAMdYsTL_w%3BFeaGZgMd87jR_ylNCLRFPNCFSDE0idja0Z9jAQ%3BFW-iZgMdwevX_ylxDKsRxC-ESDFz1mmNGpkLiQ%3BFfDnZwMdGfjf_w&t=h&mra=dpe&mrsp=1&sz=11&via=1,2&z=9|publisher=[[Google]]|access-date=22 September 2013}}</ref>
| direction_a = South
| terminus_a = {{jct|country=GBR|A|85|name1= }} at [[Perth, Scotland|Perth]]
| direction_b = Northeast
| terminus_b = {{jct|country=GBR|A|956|name1= }} at [[Aberdeen]]
| junction = 
| destinations = [[Perth, Scotland|Perth]], [[Blairgowrie and Rattray|Blairgowrie]], [[Braemar]], [[Aberdeen]]
| photo = The A93 in Gleann Beag (geograph 7484757).jpg
| photo_alt = The A93 in Gleann Beag
| photo_notes = The A93 in Gleann Beag
| next_type = A
| next_route = 94
| previous_type = A
| previous_route = 92
}}

The '''A93''' is a major [[road]] in [[Scotland]] and the highest public road in the [[United Kingdom]].  It runs north from [[Perth, Scotland|Perth]] through [[Blairgowrie and Rattray]], then through the [[Grampian Mountains (Scotland)|Grampian Mountains]] by way of [[Glenshee]], the [[Cairnwell Pass]] and Glen Clunie to [[Braemar]] in [[Aberdeenshire]]. At Braemar, the road then switches east down the [[strath]] of the [[River Dee, Aberdeenshire|River Dee]] before crossing the A90 and terminating in [[Aberdeen]].

==Route==
{{unreferenced section|date=December 2021}}
Leaving Perth, the A93 continues through the planned 19th-century village of [[Guildtown]] before crossing the [[River Isla, Perthshire|River Isla]] and passing the [[Meikleour Beech Hedges]]. {{convert|5|mi|0}} north lies [[Blairgowrie and Rattray]], the largest town in [[Perth and Kinross]], where the road crosses the [[River Ericht]]. {{convert|6|mi}} up Glenericht it reaches the little village of [[Bridge of Cally]] and begins the long climb up into Glenshee. At this point, it climbs from Glenshee onto the moors of Glenbeg and the snow gates at [[Spittal of Glenshee]], which are regularly closed in winter (which here can be from October to April) to prevent motorists becoming stranded overnight.  At the [[Cairnwell Pass]], the road reaches its maximum elevation of 670 metres (2,199&nbsp;ft) above sea level, which makes it, at this point, the highest public road in the United Kingdom. The southern approach to the Cairnwell Pass used to include a notorious double [[hairpin bend]] with steep gradients known as the Devil's Elbow. This was bypassed by a new stretch of road in the early 1970s but the old hairpin bends and [[World War II]] anti-tank traps can be accessed on foot from a lay-by part way up the hill.

Over the summit of the Cairnwell Pass, the road enters [[Aberdeenshire]] and the standard of the carriageway improves considerably, wider and better surfaced than the {{convert|42|mi}} in Perth and Kinross. Descending now, it runs along deserted Glen Clunie alongside the [[Clunie Water]] for {{convert|8|mi}} to [[Braemar]].  So far the road has been running roughly north, but here it turns east for the {{convert|60|mi|adj=on}} descent to the [[North Sea]] at [[Aberdeen]]. {{convert|10|mi}} from Braemar, it passes [[Balmoral Castle]], then continues through [[Ballater]], [[Dinnet]], [[Aboyne]], [[Kincardine O'Neil]], [[Banchory]] and [[Peterculter]] before entering Aberdeen.

==Storms of 2015==
A section of the A93 near [[Crathie]] collapsed on 29–30 December 2015 due to pressure from the overflowing [[River Dee, Aberdeenshire|River Dee]]. The Dee had burst its banks due to the effects of [[2015–16 UK and Ireland windstorm season|Storm Frank]], which caused very severe flooding across Deeside.<ref>'Storm Frank: A Day of Total Chaos in the North-East of Scotland', ''The Press and Journal'', 30 December 2015; https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/aberdeen/792460/storm-frank-wreaks-havoc-with-flooding-nightmare/. Retrieved 2015-12-31.</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{portal bar|Roads|Scotland}}
{{UK primary routes 9}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:9-0093}}
[[Category:Roads in Scotland]]
[[Category:Transport in Perth and Kinross]]
[[Category:Transport in Aberdeenshire]]
[[Category:Transport in Aberdeen]]
[[Category:Transport in Perth, Scotland]]
[[Category:Blairgowrie and Rattray]]
[[Category:Ballater]]
[[Category:Banchory]]