Cumnock 31 December

Alan, Allan, Davie Mc, Gus, Jimmy, Malcolm, Peter, Robert

The forecast was for rain and when we met at Cumnock Pool there was drizzle in the air. Having adorned wet weather gear, we took the familiar path which follows the Lugar up to the grounds of Dumfries House. The pagoda in the arboretum was chosen for coffee but since it was locked we had to content ourselves with the benches surrounding it, no hardship since the overhanging roof afforded us some shelter.

Since the weather hadn’t been too bad it was decided that we would not journey on to Ochiltree but make for the path towards the old railway station. To achieve this we took the bridge over Lugar and entered the area which houses workshops and the Woodlands Restaurant. We admired the water wheel, which looked as if it was being restored, and then went up behind the mill building and studied what was left of the machinery that was used to feed the timber in for cutting. Continuing on from here we took the path which led us to the main entrance road into the estate. This road was followed until we hit the A70. Turning left and then right up Station Road we trekked up the slope until we came to the remains of the old railway line and the halt that served Dumfries House. We were at our highest and most exposed point of the walk and, as luck would have it, the rain became more persistent.  By the time we got to the junction with the Skares road we had a decision to make.

(Here, Davie pointed out the building which was Garallan School. He was able to tell us that his dad left that school in 1905 at the age of thirteen.) 

The options were: Go left and take the shorter route back to the cars, or go right and extend the walk by 45 minutes. A narrow majority voted for the former and so we followed the tarmac back into Cumnock noting that the rain was again beginning to ease.  Most stopped at the sports ground pavilion for lunch, but Allan and Malcolm went straight up to the car to get dried off and then take lunch.

Two and a half hours on a dreich day, but still better than we had expected.

FRT was taken at a very quiet Royal in Cumnock.