Four Lochs 25 March

Allan, Davie Mc, Jimmy, Johnny, Paul, Rex

Note that the shorts make their first appearance of the year

 The forecast was wall to wall sunshine for most of the day but where we were, although the day was bright with plenty of blue sky, there were lots of drifting clouds and an icy wind.

Parking at Loch Doon Castle we left one car and motored up to our ‘normal’ starting point at the Loch Finlas road end. As Allan was removing his rucksack from Johnny’s car he clattered his leg against the tow ball assembly with the resulting large lump causing amusement, sorry, concern, amongst the gathered company. Compensation was discussed and then rejected on the grounds that the Ooters’ insurance policy only covered those who had lost a limb and were over two hundred years old.

Anyway, progress was swift on the first leg of the journey following the track into the trees, past the muddy part, which was not too bad, and emerging to view Loch Finlas. ‘Fifty minutes to the top of the hill from here’, said him that knows these things, as we hit the trail over the open ground up to the highest point of the day overlooking Loch Bradan and looking back on Finlas. As per usual we took coffee here having donned jackets to protect the cooling bodies from the wind. It had only taken us forty minutes and we enjoyed the break from our sprint.

The second leg followed the path down to the edge of Loch Bradan and took us on a westerly route to the forest road which we made by 12.45pm. Another half an hour and we were at our lunch stop overlooking Loch Riecawr. Alas however, the picnic benches had been removed so we had to content ourselves by sitting on various parts of the children’s (and Jimmy’s) adventure playground. The views across to the Merrick, Kirriereoch and Shalloch on Minnoch were excellent, with patches of snow still visible in the early spring sunshine.

The third and final leg of this familiar route took us down the road past the dam, and noting, possibly for the first time, another small loch on our right hand side. A check on the map suggests that this is Loch Gower but this may need to be verified. As we continued down the road, avoiding a strangely large, well for this walk, amount of cars, a distinctive bird call was heard. This turned out to be that of a crossbill which was perched high up on an adjoining tree. Approaching Loch Doon again, Jimmy named the burn on our right hand side as the Eglin which flows from Loch Enoch. This meets the Whitespout just prior to Loch Doon and becomes the Carrick Lane (at least according to Ordnance Survey). You learn something new every day with the Ooters!

The cars were reached at 2.50pm, four hours and fifty minutes after setting off on the first leg. Five of us piled into Rex’s car for the journey down the loch to the other cars whilst Jimmy ’volunteered’ to walk Holly down the road for as long as it took Davie to get to his car and return to pick them up. See us, see compassion though. As we passed Jimmy and Holly, we did stop and asked Holly if she wanted a lift. Jimmy did say something like ‘Oh,you are a bunch of rogues!’

FRT was held at a busier than usual Dalmellington Inn. A chankin’ day out!

Heading up the hill

Looking up to the Bradan dam

Is it something we said?

Holly with Shalloch on Minnoch, Kirriereoch and Merrick in the background