Wednesday 7 May 2008

30 April Irvine Valley


Not a lot can be said about today’s outing. As can be deduced from the lack of pictures, it was a walk in the rain. The intention was to travel through to Moffat for a high level route round Loch Skein. But, when the five of us - Peter was busy, Johnny was still hobbling around on crutches and Rex was in sunnier climes - gathered at Davie’s in Darvel the sky was lowering and heavy with expected rain. Paul, our weather man, said rain wasn’t to clear Moffat till around half past two . ‘I don’t fancy going that distance to get a soaking’, said one. ‘We can stay local and get a soaking’, commented another. So the resolution to stay nearer home was adopted and Davie’s suggestion of Loudoun Hill was accepted. Then the rain came on. It came straight down for there was barely a stir in the air, but it did come down. Waterproofs were worn from the off.
We left Darvel by taking the bridge at the end of Ranoldcoup Road. This took us to the south side of the river where we turned east on the road that runs upstream. Robert, who had just given us all a row for the speed at which we’ve walked over the last few weeks, had to check himself here for he, with Jimmy, found himself fifty yards in front of the others on the first short climb. But, after giving himself a severe talking to, he managed to stay with us for the rest of the walk. We walked on as a group.
The new house at Greenbank was commented on for we have watched it from construction and it is now occupied. This is where the tarmac ran out and we took to a track. Davie warned that it would be mucky in this weather but the ground was firm for the weather has been dry of late and only the top inch gave under the weight and the walking was not as bad as Davie expected. And, at the top of the hill, we could see our target hill in the distance, misty through the rain but visible nevertheless. We walked towards it, dropping into the valley to find tarmac again to thw south of Bransfield.
Came a cattle grid on the road. Robert, pointing to a deep bending in the grid where something heavy had crossed, commented, ‘You’ve come this way before then, Davie.’ Davie was hurt to the marrow. This comment and others of similar vane were the only thing to brighten the day for the rain was now incessant and the breeze was rising.
We came to Loanfoot where tarmac ran out again and the track by the Long Cairn was followed. Jimmy asked what were the chances of crossing the burn under Loudoun Hill given the present weather. Davie said there was now a bridge. There was supposed to be a bridge built over the burn at Long Cairn for the walking festival but this hasn’t been done yet. We turned the corner and there was the bridge that wasn’t built yet. We crossed this bridge that wasn’t there and came over the moor to the weather station. The wind was now in our faces and the rain was stinging.
When we found tarmac again a summit was called and it was decided, in the present miserable conditions, to cut the walk short. We stayed on tarmac and dropped into the valley at Priestland. The rain did ease as we came into Darvel but it didn’t halt. We followed the path down the side of the burn and the river to come back to the bridge at Ranoldcoup Road.
A much shorter and considerably wetter walk than we’ve been used to for a while. Internal wetness was supplied by the bar of the Black Bull.

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