Cairn Table 24 June

Alan, Allan, Davie C, Gus, Jimmy, Johnny, Paul, Peter, Rex

Ready for the climb!

 Jimmy had promised us that it would be ‘an hour up and an hour down’ for our outing today, as we had Rex’s birthday do in Ayr to attend in the evening. Of course, these were ‘Jimmy hours’.

Nonetheless, we set off from the Walkers’ Car Park at Kames in good spirit hoping to get the walk done before the threatened rain came in. It was warm, though overcast, and very quickly jackets were dispensed with, and shirt sleeves became the order for most of the day as we only encountered very brief spells of moisture, and, indeed, as the day went on, the weather got better and better.

The first stop was at the Sanquhar Bridge, just for a blether, for today there was no Davie Mc or Robert to keep up with.

Next stop was a view stop after twenty minutes of climbing, and then at the wee cairn for a coffee, before reaching the well where, as tradition now dictates Davie, aided by Alan, cleared the area from weeds and debris. The summit and cairn were soon arrived at and lunch was taken. It had taken two hours to get there and a lazy twenty minutes were enjoyed.

The tourist track back down was dismissed as Jimmy took us down over open country towards Auldhouse burn. The going was varied with heather, dougals and bogs to negotiate but eventually we were out of the worst of it and on firmer footing as the first of a series of poultry sheds were reached. For the naturalists, on the way down the advanced guard came across a bird’s nest (species to be confirmed by Jimmy), disturbed a stoat-like wee animal, and identified areas of cloudberries.

The poultry farm provided us with a track which eventually became a road and took us to the point where we met the path we have followed in the past when walking back from Glenbuck.

We were back at the cars four hours after starting out and were blessed with warm sunny weather before the Kilmarnock and Ayr cars made their way to the Empire bar for FRT, whereas the rest headed home to save themselves for the evening festivities.

Another grand day out!

We enjoyed a new venue for most of us in the evening i.e. Vito’s in Ayr, and wished Rex a belated happy 70^th birthday, before, as again tradition dictates, we finished off the evening in Wetherspoon’s. Thanks for the drinks, Rex!

As always, another successful and convivial social occasion!