5 March Carrick Hills from Alloway

Illness and family commitments reduced the group to four this morning but the healthy and non-committed four (not forgetting Holly, the dug) gathered at Rex’s place in Alloway. Not to be outdone by Johnny, Rex provided coffee and Anzac biscuits, a sweet cookie supposedly developed by the Anzacs at Gallipoli. Very good they were, but your correspondent couldn’t eat more than four or five at one sitting. Well done, Rex.

Rain met most of us on the way to Alloway but during coffee a brightness appeared in the sky. This brightness was to come and go for most of the day, the dryness interspersed with scudding rain showers but the brightening sky was sufficient at that time to stir us from our sloth and set us on our way in heartier mood.

Our way was through Rozelle Park where the granite sculptures were commented on, Rex’s comment on the ‘nose picker’ deemed very appropriate. Then it was into Bellisle Park. It’s an absolute rotten shame what is being allowed to happen to this park. Rex said that many of the animals from the children’s corner had been sold off. Davie showed us the boarded-up glasshouse that was once a main feature of the park and Jimmy wondered how long it would be before houses were built on the site. A depressing comment on our local authorities. Then the right bank of the Doon was taken towards The Millenium Bridge and the shore. Jimmy and Davie talked birds as we walked beside the river and the other two showed some kind of interest, especially Paul who used his binoculars occasionally. And Rex mentioned the black swan that frequented the river for a few years.

On the shore we met the strong south-westerly that whipped the drying sand along in mini sandstorms. How Holly coped with this sand-blasting is difficult to say - she seemed to ignore it - but at man height it stung the hands and face and made walking and observing wildlife difficult. Still, oystercatcher, redshank, ringed plover, dunlin and curlew were spotted, especially the large flock of curlew that took to the air at our approach near the caravans of Craig Tara.

We left the shore at Craig Tara and came up through the caravans to the Dunure road. We were to stay on Tarmac for the rest of the day. At the sign pointing out ‘Carrick Hills’ we left the Dunure road and took to the minor one climbing the hill. A large, new house in the ‘Grand Designs’ manner was examined, the opinions being positive. Then the road climbed steeply. A shallow gulley held the first primroses seen this year, a sign that spring might not be far way. And it was hoped by some that lunch would not be far away for hunger came calling on this part of the climb. A sheltered spot beside a line of beech trees was found where we could dine in relative comfort out of the strong wind. And at last came a rest for we had not stopped walking since Alloway. The sun appeared but this was closely followed by the rain, not particularly heavy rain but enough to make Paul don the waterproofs as a precaution.
After lunch the rain continued only for a few minutes but Paul was encouraged to keep his waterproofs on to keep the rain away. This was successful for the next time we were to see the rain we were nearly home. The trees were left behind and the hill opened out onto moorland.

The view also opened out but, in the present weather conditions, this was not as extensive as it might have been. Still it was admired as we climbed the service road to the radio mast. This was as far as most had been on the hill but the top was barely half a mile away and Rex was keen to go to there. So the road was left and the moor taken to. A wet patch cooled the road-hot feet but the top was gained without real incident. The view from the trig-point was limited by the rain skudding up the firth but the coast as far as Irvine was clear and landmarks of Ayr, Troon and Irvine were pointed out. But the wind was beginning to chill and a retreat from the top was in order.

The return was by way of a reverse of the outward journey, at least as far as Craig Tara. As we left the radio mast, Rex and Paul, fifty metres in front of the other two, spotted the hare. The other two thought it was a figment of imagination brought on by altitude but this was to be the highlight of the wildlife on the hill.

The pace was brisk but comfortable on the downward tarmac and it was kept brisk along the road to the outskirts of Doonfoot. The unfortunates being interviewed by the traffic polis were noted in the passing. At Doonfoot the old railway cycle path was reached and this was taken. This was an interesting part of the walk. Paul had not been here before but Jimmy and Davie remembered parts of it from the Auchincruive cycle that we did from Rex’s house last year. The single roe deer standing on the track some twenty metres away was seen by all before it disappeared into the undergrowth. The Doon was crossed on the old railway bridge and gave us a good view of the Auld Brig under the new road one. Then came the tunnel. Rex tried to convince Jimmy and Davie that we had come through it on the afore mentioned cycle but neither of the pair could remember it. Who’s getting senile? Rex or Jimmy or Davie? Or all three, perhaps.

The streets of Alloway, past Burns Cottage, took us back to Rex’s place, the whole return journey being done without a halt. A fairly long walk (17K+) and another good one despite the weather.
Beered at Rex’s.