4 March, Windy Standard, no. Snowy Cumnock, yes

Distance 15.8 Km

Dumfries House was built by the late Earl, who, at the same time, inclosed and planted much. In particular, 35 acres, not far from the house, were planted with oaks, which are now beautiful and grow luxuriously. This has encouraged the present Earl to continue the plantations in belts around his enclosures, and clumps on every height, which embellish the country at present, and in time will be very profitable. The land which the Earl holds in his own hand extends to 1200 acres including pleasure ground.
Andrew Wight, The present State of Husbandry in Scotland, 1773

Winter returned with a vengeance last night, dumping three or four inches of snow on the county. We all awoke to a Christmas card scene of white landscape and continually falling snow, even those in the sub-tropics of Alloway and Troon. We had planned to go to Windy Standard but those who know this kind of thing realised there was no way we would get up the Glen Afton road. A quick bout of ringing round* and the outing was rearranged for a Cumnock local.

Ten Ooters came out today despite the weather. Following Jimmy’s advice we all met in the snow-bound car park of Cumnock swimming pool rather than attempt the slither up to his hill-top residence. At least now the snow had stopped falling and there was a brightening in the sky that foretold sunshine. And by the time we had changed into boots, this sunshine had arrived. We started the walk from the swimming pool.
The first part of the walk was on the path down the River Lugar, alongside the playing fields of Broomfield. This was where Johnny produced his quiz. What vegetable can you only buy fresh because it can’t be frozen, dried or in any way preserved? Which natural feature in North America is constantly moving backward? What’s the point of quizzes? What a clever, show-off bunch we are. We managed to answer all of Johnny’s questions - eventually.
By this time we were down past the sewage works - Jimmy does show us the scenic areas of the country - through a small wood of Scots Pines and encountering the first fence of the day. This had to be negotiated carefully for it stood atop a steep snow-covered and slippery slope. Those who delight in the misfortune of others had nothing to gloat over here for all safely negotiated the fence and slithered down the slope in their own fashion.

We were now on a farm track which took us under the Auchinleck bypass and into Dumfries House policies. It was suggested by some that this was turning into a ‘Peter walk’ for there came, in quick succession, a negotiation of a fence by overhanging the river and another barbed-wire fence. But, again, all came safely through this trial. ‘This is the last fence of the day’, said our leader. Liar! We had to re-cross this barbed-wire to find a pad through some stunted saughs. Definitely a Peter walk now. But this pad took us to the track again and that was the last of the obstacles for the day - not! We continued on the track until we found the main entrance to the house.

Adam’s brig was the first of our historical studies for the day. Davie had most of us – Jimmy had seen it all before and others weren’t that interested – down the snowy bank to look at the architecture of the bridge. Then we crossed it, examining the structure from a different angle.

Some of the trees of the fifth earl’s ‘pleasure ground’ were noted as we walked towards the mansion itself. A circuit of the house was made, not, as some suggested, to find somebody for Davie to have words with, but to examine the architectural work of Robert Adam. This time we were able to get right in to the walls of the house itself and examine the structure at very close quarters. Alan asked about the motto ‘Nemo me impune lacesit’. Paul translated this as ‘Do not name me with impunity’ but Jimmy’s colloquial ‘Wha are you talking tae?’ appealed more to Alan. Everybody agreed that the house was a magnificent building but hardly worth the money being charged to get inside.
Stomachs rumbled and coffee was called. On a grassy patch under an ancient tree we sat and had coffee and looked back toward the house. As usual at coffee, a stick was thrown for Holly and away she chased. The yelp she let out may well have been heard back in Cumnock. Something had happened but Davie could find little amiss when he prized her jaws open. Yet something had happened for Holly was not herself for the rest of the day. (See Davie's report below)

After coffee we came to the main Ochiltree to Cumnock road and turned along this, dodging slushy spray thrown up by passing lorries. But we were only on this road for a hundred metres or so before turning off it onto the quieter track for the old Dumfries House station. Yes, the group was informed, the Marquis of Bute had his own private station.
There is very little left of the old station, only the waiting room converted to a private dwelling. Nor is there much left of the railway on the west side for the cutting here has been filled in. Only on the east side of the bridge is it obvious that a railway once came through here. We didn’t spend too long here for a cool breeze had sprung up from somewhere and we moved on to keep warm.
We came onto the Skares road and turned for Garrallan. The old school here was examined - it was a day for looking at old buildings – before we turned off southward on the Benston Road. Hunger called and we sat down on the metal barrier of an old bridge at Garlaff and enjoyed both the peece and the warmth of the early March sun. Robert had watched a very scientific programme on tele last night and regaled us with his newly gleaned knowledge. It would appear that baldy men are more virile. Jimmy and Paul, they of the extensive head skin, were quick to confirm this. But they challenged his assertion that women prefer hairless faces for both of them sport beards. This was the level of conversation today.
Post peece we set of again, towards New Cumnock. From this high ground we had extensive views of the east Ayrshire countryside. We looked towards the Afton hills and saw them gleam white in the sunshine. We nearly regretted our decision to stay low but this notion soon left us when we turned off the road onto a field track and found several inches of powdery snow. This feield track brought us down through Greenside Farm to the Benston to Cumnock road.
Glaisnock House sits a few hundred yard off this road and this was another old building that just had to be looked at today. Davie was slightly miffed to read the notice about dogs but it didn’t prevent him from joining us on our close examination. Those who knew something of its history told it as we completed a circuit of the old house.
From Glaisnock house it was to be a straightforward walk down to Cumnock. It was to be, but those in the forward party took some diversions and it was a longer walk to the pub than it might have been. Tongues were almost hanging out.

We made for our usual haunt, The Sun, but they have an embargo on dugs so we adjourned to the Merkat for FRT today.
Here we were treated like long lost friends. Holly was given free drink and biscuits but she was the only one. The Merkat was compared favourably with the best of our watering holes (www.comparethemerkat.com).

*We might have managed to contact everyone if the Irvine/Troon contingent had their mobiles with them or had them switched on!

 


Report by Jimmy

Photos by Johnnie and Jimmy