Tinto Hill 26 June 2019

Present: Killie Davie, Derval Davie, Gus, Hugh, Dougie, Paul and Kenny T.

At 10:03 am 6 Ooters were waiting with arms outstretched, pointing at their watches as Davie Mc pulled into the car park at Tinto Hill just a teeny weeny bit late. Before long we had set out on a glorious, sunny morning to do our normal circular route of this area and the weather was to remain so for the rest of the walk, providing us with good conditions underfoot and fabulous(!) visibility. It was the usual pech up to the top of the hill with all of us reaching the viewfinder in about an hour and a quarter; there we met an extremely attractive young lady who told us that it had only taken her 58 minutes. We had a good 10 minute break for coffee and to enjoy the panoramic views before setting off on the grassy path that eventually leads to the back road to Carmichael village.  David C  and Kenny decided to call it quits at the top  of the hill and we left them to make their way back to the car park.
Lunch was taken at more or less our usual spot before heading down to the tarmac road for  the roughly 4 mile walk back to the start. Kenny had headed for home while Davie had waited for us, patiently reading his newspaper and soaking up the sun.
FRT was taken in the Black Bull in Darvel where Davie MC had to complain about being given a foostit packet of nuts, past its sell by date, the only minus in an otherwise extremely enjoyable day.

Davie Mc

Walk for 3 July 2019

Meet chez Davie in Darvel at 9:30 for coffee/tea and scones before setting off at 10 am to do the valley circle. Note: those not wishing to climb Loudoun Hill can skirt round the bottom.

Some images from Arran

Arrangements for 26 June

Tinto Hill
Meet at the usual parking spot at 10am.

Arran 19 June #2

Jimmy was not at his peak today so, escorted by his carers, Malcolm and Allan, he decided that a walk to Brodick castle would suffice. The Fisherman’s Walk was followed along the beach and skirting the golf course until we emerged at the Mountain Rescue Station. Crossing the main road, we passed the Wineport at Cladach and entered the grounds of Brodick Castle.

Coffee was taken at the picnic benches outside the castle and we took time to enjoy the warm, but close, conditions. Having explored the visitors’ centre, which is just a café, and the walled garden we took to the Hamilton Trail which took us up above the castle and eventually on to the Goatfell path. We didn’t have time to do the mountain today (aye, right!), so we turned back down and emerged at the Wineport again.
Sitting there on the benches having our lunch we were abruptly told that the benches were for customers only, so we bought a coffee.
Retracing our steps back to Brodick we stopped off at the Douglas before heading for the 4.40pm ferry and meeting up with the rest of the guys.
We had walked seven miles whereas the main group had done about eight and a half, and the late afternoon showers never materialised

 

 

 
 

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Arran June 19, 2019

Nine met on the Arran ferry,Davy (and Holly), Jimmy, Allan Sim,Malcolm,Paul,Hugh, Rex, Gus, and Robert.
On arrival a schism formed to walk to the castle Allan Sim, Malcolm and Jimmy, and the rest boarded the bus to Lochranza. The walk to Laggan cottage went surprisingly quickly,1 hour and a half. There were a few midges about so we did not linger long over lunch. We pushed the pace all the way and arrived about forty mins too early for the bus. The bus was so busy that approx a dozen people were standing all the way to Brodick. We boarded the ferry with a few mins to spare and were reunited with the castle party. FRT was very welcome and was enjoyed by all. A very pleasant day out.

19 June

Chance of rain by 3pm but OK up until then, so we go to Arran as arranged.

Failford to Gadgirth Bridge 12 June

Allan, Davie Mc, Dougie, Gus, Hugh, Ian, Jimmy, Johnny, Malcolm, Paul, Peter

Whilst our six ASHA members were away in Fife, eleven of us met up at Failford on a dry morning. There was a cool breeze at our starting point but, once under way (and, as we were all present, we set off ten minutes early), we were sheltered, meaning that walking conditions were good, particularly as parts of the track had been recently strimmed.

We started off as a group, following our accustomed route along the River Ayr Walkway but, on reaching the path to Peden’s Pulpit, Jimmy led a few to see it, whilst the rest continued on the main path. On reaching the steps down to the low-level path Davie couldn’t resist the temptation, whilst the rest, including Holly, made their way up to the bench to await the others. Davie arrived seconds later stating it was 111 steps up from the bottom (Nelson in cricket terms), but it took those who had gone to see the pulpit a wee bit longer to catch up as they had tried to come straight up the banking, realised that this was not achievable, and had gone back down to catch the path the rest had taken. As far as the bench is concerned, Ian had told us on the way to it that he had taken his wife, no, not Tracey, on the walk a week or two back and had been surprised to see that the bench had disappeared. But today, there it was, where it always had been, and showing absolutely no signs of removal. Ian was mystified and, as could be expected, was ribbed by the rest of us about where he had actually been, and with whom! All these sunshine holidays must be having an effect!
Anyway, we marched on from there, ignoring the diversion at Daldorch, and followed the riverside path towards Stair. The tricky bits caused by landslips were relatively easily negotiated, with Hugh recognising one a group of three walkers coming in the opposite direction, and our coffee stop at the weir was reached at about half past eleven.
Crossing the road, we made our way through the honing works (The Tam o’ Shanter Honing Works as we were reminded by Davie) and joined the path alongside fields of what we think was barley which took us to Enterkine Viaduct and Gadgirth Bridge. Lunch was taken at our usual spot beside the river whilst we contemplated that it had taken us the best part of two and a half hours to cover the five and a half miles to get there.
Decisions, decisions! To go back the way we had come (the shorter quicker way according to the sage from Darvel), or go up the road to Enterkine House and return that way to Daldorch. In the event, Jimmy, Paul, Gus, Dougie and Hugh took the latter route, whilst the rest, and Holly, retraced their steps. This group stopped at the weir again to allow Johnny and Peter to catch up before making their way to the signpost at the diversion at Daldorch in the expectation of having to wait for the other group. Whilst waiting it was noticed that Holly was missing, so some time was spent looking for her before we got a call from Jimmy. His group were actually ahead of us, having made good time on the tarmac, and Holly (no doubt having sniffed them!) had caught up with them. By the time we reassembled back at Ian’s bench the quicker group had been there for about ten minutes and, after a short breather, we marched on taking the slightly shorter, higher path back to Failford.
Five hours and eleven miles were today’s numbers, and, for many of us, it felt like it! It was just as well that there had been no rain as Dougie discovered, on arriving back at his car, that he had left his shoes where he had taken them off  i.e. on the tarmac next to his car! It’s coming to us all!
The Faiford Inn is still closed, although there is a sign in the window stating that it is opening soon, so the Black Bull in Mauchline was our venue for FRT, and where some weary Ooters spent a good hour.
Footnote
It was Neil Simpson who crocked Ian Durrant on 8^th October 1988. If you check it out on-line, it was a horrendous tackle.

Good to have Peter with us again

The Ayrshire countryside

Who's going to give me a bit of their piece?

Arrangements for 19 June

Arran
Be at Ardrossan ferry terminal in plenty of time to catch the 9.45am ferry to Brodick.
The proposed walk is Lochranza to Sannox via Laggan Cottage.
Bus passes are required!
Should the weather forecast be poor, an alternative walk will be posted on the blog before 6 pm on Tuesday evening.

Falls of Clyde 5 June

Allan, Davie C, Davie Mc, Hugh, Iain, Ian, Johnny, Kenny R, Malcolm, Paul, Rex, Robert

Like last week, we travelled through some wet weather to get to our starting point but, similarly, on arrival, it was much drier. Kirkfieldbank is our starting point for this walk and as we awaited the Kilmarnock charabanc to arrive, most decided to don their wet weather gear, just to be safe. Let us record the fact that the Killie boys were seven minutes late, and also the fact that the rest of us were sympathetic and waited for them!

Before long, as we made our way up towards New Lanark, layers were being removed as the skies brightened and the temperature rose, and we were not to see any more rain until we got back to the cars. We did not venture up to see the wooden sculptures but continued at a steady pace, following the Clyde Walkway, up to the village. There was a suggestion that we might buy a coffee in the café, but as the weather was now very pleasant, we took coffee at our usual spot i.e. at the benches.
Ten minutes later and we were off again reaching the dam just before midday. The recent rains meant that there was plenty of water in the river making the views (and the sound) spectacular. Having crossed over we followed our preferred path down to our customary lunch stop just beyond Corra Castle. The last leg down to the cars had some muddy bits bit, in truth, it was better than we had anticipated.
The walk of seven miles had taken us three hours in surprisingly dry and warm conditions, and FRT was taken at the Black Bull in Darvel, where we were well received!

Entering New Lanark

Coffee stop

Impressive!

Lunch spot

 

Arrangements for Wed 12th June.

Meet in Failford at 10.00.a.m. Walk along the river Ayr to Gadgirth bridge and return.