Nae man can tether time or tide
Despite a broken down lorry causing a massive traffic jam on th A77 just before the Whitletts roundabout, we all managed to set off just after 10 o'clock. The rain of Tuesday had completely disappeared and we started our walk in glorious sunshine, the weather remaining good for the rest of the day. The problem today was going to be the tide - would it allow us to pass the rocks just before Croy shore? Paul and Davie reminisced about the time a few years back when only Peter and Holly managed to skirt around the rocks, the rest of us opting to scramble through brambles and clamber over barbed wire fences and then having to walk back down the road to meet Peter an hour later waiting for us still playing with a stick with Holly!
Unfortunately our worst fears were confirmed as we descended from the fields onto the shore. The tide was right in, making passage around the rocks impossible. However the intrepid Davie made it over the rocks, eventually getting down onto the sand on the other side
"Well, if that fat b* can make it, I can do it" seemed to be the general opinion and before long we were all safely on the other side. Holly of course simply waded through the water nonchalantly.
With the tide being very high, it was a somewhat uncomfortable trek to the castle, having to cross over stony ground and wade through squelchy seaweed, but eventually we reached the small park at the swan pond where lunch was taken. The day was still and some of the autumn colours still remained, so it was a very enjoyable half hour or so.
After lunch we set off and completed the circumnavigation (that's a guid word, intit!?) of the pond before heading through the gardens up to the book shop with Gus buying a few (for Rita's Christmas, Gus?)
The return journey took us down the steep steps back to Segganwell Cottage before setting off along the beach again, the way being a bit easier now the tide had changed, although it has to be said, by not all that much. No climbing was necessary to negotiate the rocks although we had to be careful as they were very slippery.
By now, the legs were beginning to ache and when we reached the fields, we decided to have a short-cut across them rather than skirt the edges. However the leading pack were given a scolding by a woman (the farmer's wife?) for doing so but all behaved perfectly. Good job Davie wasn't at the front then.
We arrived back at the cars five and a quarter hours after we had set out, having covered a distance of just under 11 and a half miles.We drove round to the Maybole Arms again and enjoyed a good hour's FRT and banter. It's not often we have to drive home in the dark after a day's walking but that was the case today.
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