Alan, Allan, Davie C, Dougie, Ian,
Jim, Jimmy, Johnny, Kenny T, Malcolm, Paul, Rex, Robert
We experienced the first real wintry
morning of the season as we met at the entrance to Chalmerston, so we were well
wrapped up against the chill breeze as we set off. On cue it started to rain,
but only very lightly and for no time at all, meaning progress was good up the
mine road. Jimmy, Rex and Robert were well in front even at this stage and the
rest were baffled to see them veer right when they should have gone straight
on. They were out of earshot so Kenny the Younger was sent after them to
ascertain their intentions. On his return it became apparent that they were
going to do Benbeoch, so we left them to it, and the remaining ten headed up
and to the left towards Benwhat. The going underfoot was good and, with the
wind behind us, the wee memorial stone to Benwhat was reached without alarm. In
the past we have taken coffee here, but it was too exposed today so, after
inspecting the visitors’ book, well protected in a plastic case, six of us took
to the path on the old railway line and headed for Lethanhill. Dougie, Ian,
Kenny and Paul decided to go up to the war memorial, agreeing to meet up
further along.
The main party stopped briefly for
coffee in the shelter of a wee escarpment and could see the others reach the
monument and then head back down. It was a day to keep moving so the ten moved
off at a modest pace to let the rest catch up. Barbed wire fences and broken
bridges were obstacles to overcome but we managed and the track up to the war
memorial to the fallen from Lethanhill and Burnfoothill was reached just after
midday. Being not long after Remembrance Day (one hundred years on from the end
of WW1), it was good to see that the local councillor had laid a wreath and,
when the remaining four caught up with us five minutes later, they reported
that two wreaths had been left up at Benwhat.
Lunch was taken before setting off
down the track towards Waterside and Dunaskin. By this time contact had been
made with Robert & Co who indicated that they were walking along the
railway line to meet us. They had reached the top of Benbeoch by eleven o’clock
and then had gone down the back to continue their walk amongst the old
workings. Meeting up at the far end of Dunaskin we exchanged ‘pleasantries’ and
set off back down the line. This is the worst part of this walk as the ballast
makes for difficult walking and the sleepers are slippy, ask Davie.
Nevertheless, we ploughed on and were relieved to come to the road which took
us back down to our parked cars, reaching them four hours and ten minutes after
having set off. Paul’s technology said he had done 9.6 miles, a good step out!FRT was taken at a very cosy and warm Dalmellington Inn, where we were offered, and gratefully accepted, cups of chicken soup, not to mention the biscuits with our coffee. With hospitality like that, we will be back.
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| Benwhat used to be here |
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| The others are somewhere over there |
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| Not a day to hang around |
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| The visitors' book |
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| Four at the Benwhat War Memorial |
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| The Lethanhill and Burnfoothill Memorial |
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| A set of old buffers |
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