Arrangements for 3rd January

Irvine to Barassie and return

Meet at the Pilot House car park (the big car park) at Irvine beach park for a walk to Barassie and back. It will be a 10am start.

Dumfries House 27 December

Allan, Gus, Hugh, Jimmy, Johnny, Malcolm

Storm Gerrit had arrived, and it was raining steadily as the six above assembled at the car park at the sports fields off Ayr Road in Cumnock. We debated what to do given the weather before deciding on motoring up to Dumfries House for a walk in the grounds. Having waited until ten o’clock exactly, to see if any others would turn up, we headed up to our starting point at the deserted car park at the big house. The wind had abated, and Jimmy led us on a walk of just over two and a half miles on paths and roads around the estate. We did meet one or two other folks out walking, and by the time we finished there were a few more cars around. Mostly we had decent shelter and although it rained, it wasn’t teaming down, and we felt the benefit of being out for a walk and getting some fresh air. The café was shut (contrary to any information we could find on the website) so our plans for a coffee did not materialise, and given it was only twenty past eleven, we decided to head straight home.

Dean Park to Craufurdland 20 December

 Alan, Davie Mc, Dougie, Gus, Hugh, Jimmy, Paul, Rex, Robert

The walk today was from Dean Park up to Craufurdland, taking the longer route and coming in from the Fenwick end.

FRT and lunch were taken at the First Edition where the walkers were joined by Billy and Allan. An interesting time was had!

Arrangements for Wed 27th Dec.

 Meet and be ready to walk by 10.00.a.m. Meet in the car park opposite Cumnock Hospital. The walk will be around 6-8 miles and will pass through Dumfries House grounds. F.R.T.. will be accessed in the Black Bull Mauchline where we have often been well treated .

Panto, Walk and Curry 13 December (for the record)

The day started with six Ooters attending the pantomime at the Oran Mor whilst the remainder did a valley walk from Davie’s house in Darvel (nine miles) (Many thanks to Davie and Kay for their hospitality- I hope Kay has recovered! Paul.).

Sixteen of us (Alan McQ, Allan, Billy, Davie C, Davie Mc, Dougie, Graham, Gus, Hugh, Ian, Jimmy, Johnny, Malcolm, Paul, Rex, Ronnie) attended the curry at the Jewel later on and were pleased to see Peter who dropped in to see us as we arrived. As usual, a good time was had. Roll on the Burns Supper and Jimmy’s 75^th in February!

The Walk (Davie M, Gus, Jimmy, Hugh, Paul): 

Arrangements for 20th December

 Meet in the car park at Dean Castle at 10am for a walk to Craufurdland. On return there will be an opportunity to have FRT and a lunch in Wetherspoon's.

Seamill to Portencross 6 December

Allan, Davie C, Davie Mc, Graham, Gus, Johnny, Malcolm, Paul, Rex

It was bitterly cold as we set off from the car park between Ardrossan and Seamill for our walk to Portencross and, other than small parts of the route when we were sheltered from the breeze, it remained ‘baltic’ until we arrived at our coffee spot at the castle at ten past eleven. It was clear overhead though, and with underfoot conditions firm due to the cold snap, it was agreed that we would extend the walk. Johnny, however, said he had not signed up for any more than Portencross and sauntered back to wait for us at the cars, whilst the rest continued up to the start of the tarmac at Hunterston before turning back and stopping again at the castle for lunch. Thereafter, the cars were reached three hours and thirty-five minutes after having set off and with nine miles having been covered. We were still frozen!

 

Derval Davie, with two dugs to look after, Isla and Ripley, set off for home whilst the remainder motored to the Lauriston in Ardrossan for FRT. The last couple of times we have tried there the public bar has been shut so we entered the lounge, busy with guests having lunch, and just about managed to get seated together. We were then asked if we wouldn’t be more comfortable in the bar!

The bar had been refurbished as a sports bar and very comfortable it was too. So much so that we treated ourselves to chips with our drinks and our presence no doubt brightened up the barmaid’s day as for most of the time we were the only ones in the place. Just to keep her company certain amongst us, no prizes for guessing, decided to make it a three-pint day. A very warming end to a chilly day out!

 

Arrangements for 13th December

The Pantogoers

Meet in the Counting House in Glasgow at 10am.

The Walkers

Meet at Davie's house in Darvel at 9.30am for coffee and then a valley walk.

The Curry

The Jewel will be open for us at 4pm.

New arrangements for 6th December

 Seamill to Portencross

Meet at the second car park on the coast road to Seamill at 10am for a walk to Portencross and back. We will do the fish supper walk when more Ooters are available.

River Ayr Walk - Greenock Water to Sorn - 29 November

 Dougie, Rex, Hugh, Gus, Davie C, Paul, Davie M, Jimmy, Malcolm

We gathered at Sorn Kirk on a beautifully clear, crisp morning. Car thermometers were in agreement - -5C. Three cars took us to our departure point - the lay-by at the old Greenockmains Bridge.

This is one the most attractive stretches of the River Ayr, with the added bonus of a few short stiff climbs affording a little variation to the walk alongside the river.  

We were treated to the rare sight of ice circles (or ice pancakes) formed, apparently, by foam coalescing and freezing in river eddies.

This wouldn't have been an easy walk to do had the ground not been frozen.  Much of it is very muddy but the sharp frost had firmed it up. Nevertheless wee Davie managed to find a less firm patch and got a wet foot for his troubles.

Coffee was a standing up job but big Davie had the lunch spot sorted with ample seating on the side of a long boardwalk high above the river. A well-chosen location.

The remainder of the walk was a leisurely amble (for most of the group - Hugh, Rex, Paul and Isla had disappeared into the distance) skirting farmland and passing through woodland as far as the Sorn road which we crossed and took the path above Sorn village and then back to the cars.

Distance 12 kms.

A pleasant hour was spent in the Black Bull, Mauchline where the sausage rolls were much appreciated!

Some from the River Ayr walk

Arrangements for Wednesday 6 December

 Meet at Caulder's Garden Centre, by the Erskine Bridge at 10 am for coffee - departure at 10.30 am. We will walk to McMonagle's in Clydebank for lunch.  

We will either walk over the bridge or take the cars to the far side, depending on the consensus of the assembled group. For those eager to point out that "we always meet at 9.30" , it was thought the later meeting time might be better for traffic conditions and also that it would mean we wouldn't be arriving too early for lunch.

Dunure to Doonfoot 22 November

 

 Alan, Allan, Davie C, Davie Mc, Dougie, Graham, Hugh, Johnny, Malcolm, Paul, Rex, Robert

 

Jing and crivens, what a fuss

The day oor Davie got on the bus

Wan dug, wan bus was the cry

And oor diplomat just had to reply

His pleas, sadly, came to no avail

And common sense did not prevail

 

We were present and correct on an overcast windy morning at Doonfoot in plenty of time for our bus to Dunure, which arrived punctually. Most Ooters had piled on before the driver informed Davie that Isla would not be allowed on because there was another dog already on the bus. He stated that it was company policy not to have more than one dog aboard in case there was conflict between them, or something like that. Now, we are renowned for our diplomacy, are we not? and soon the debate got heated, but amazingly no sweary words were issued towards the ‘jobsmith’ of a driver who sat his ground behind his partition with Davie choosing to retreat and drive to Dunure. Funnily enough, Rex was allowed on, and Dougie forwarded a notion that, in line with current gender issues, Isla could have identified herself as a cat for the day. We were all too slow in explaining that Isla was in fact Davie’s guide dug hearing dug and that she should be allowed on.

No matter, the driver set off at a fast pace, undoubtedly getting rid of his anger, and, wait for it, let the wee dog and its owner off at the next stop. Sometimes you just cannot write the script.

Anyway, all of us started walking from Dunure harbour at ten to eleven and headed along the beach, following the markers, before leaving it for a spell and then returning to the increasingly slippy, rocky terrain. It had been some time since most had done this walk a and it seemed much more difficult than we remembered. Anyway, after nearly an hour we stopped for coffee just before the climb up the steps, and, as we sat, the weather began to pick up with patches of blue sky appearing. The climb up those steps certainly gets the heart racing, but we made it safely to the top and on to the fields which took us to the old railway line up to the caravan park where we deviated back towards the beach.

On the path downwards most stopped at a couple of benches for lunch whilst, there being no room at the inn, Johnny and Allan continued down to the beach where Allan sat down and had lunch. Johnny, however, decided just to walk on towards the Heads of Ayr and cut a solitary figure in the distance. Isla, however, had appeared from nowhere and acted as Johnny’s minder until the rest caught up. By this time the rain was falling, but, thankfully, the prevailing wind was behind us today and we were all reunited as we left the beach to walk along the grass at Craig Tara. Soon it was back on the sand again until just before Greenan Castle when we took the path over the field and up to the road which passes the new housing and on to Dunure Road and back to the cars at the Co-op.

We were pretty wet as we tried to get changed into dry gear before heading to the Balgarth for FRT. Three hours for about 6.3 miles were today’s numbers and most agreed that it felt more than that, probably because of the difficult underfoot conditions on some parts of the walk. Davie was encouraged to get the bus back to Dunure for his car, but he disrespectfully declined as Paul had offered him a lift. A convivial hour was spent in the hotel where Davie took the constant ribbing about his earlier altercation in good spirit. Mind you, it appeared to have affected him strangely as his second drink today was a coffee. One for the record books!