Failford to Stair 25th September

 

Alan McQ, Allan, Graham, Gus, Hugh, Johnny, Malcolm, Paul, Robert

We met at Failford on a lovely autumn morning for our walk to Stair. Having taken note of the apologies for today, we reckoned that everyone who was coming was present at ten to ten, so off we went into the gorge. Alan, Grahem and Paul deviated up to Peden’s Pulpit while the rest continued on the path and awaited the arrival of the other three at the bench at the top of the steps. It wasn’t too long before they arrived. Paul had retraced his steps and followed the path whilst the young team had scrambled up from the pulpit to gain the path. Good effort!

 

Just before coming down to follow the riverside path towards Daldorch we hit the only muddy part of the walk. About ten metres of challenging stuff, and this after a dry spell!  Arriving at Daldorch, Alan, Graham and Gus decided to go straight on and chance the landslips whilst the main group climbed the stile and followed the detour. At the Daldorch road end, coffee was taken and at this point Allan and Johnny decided that they would turn back from there, and would saunter back to the afore-mentioned bench to await the rest. The other seven had lunch at the usual spot above the weir with Graham declaring that the riverside route was adventurous.

After lunch the group took the diversion and met up with Allan and Johnny just before one o’clock. Not having had enough excitement for one day, our junior section, Alan and Graham, decided to go down the steps and would get us at the other end. They made good time as they were waiting for the main body at the junction of the paths. The last time we were here, we took the top, easier path but encountered a sea of mud due to logging work which blocked our descent to Faiford. Alan assured us that this had been fixed but led us down the way we had come for a short distance before veering off to the left to follow a grass track offering us decent views down to the path below and the gorge in general. This path joined the top path just before the newly repaired one down towards Failford and the cars.

 

We took three and three-quarter hours for the walk which, in its entirety, was measured at between seven and a half and eight miles. FRT was taken at the Black Bull in Mauchline where sausage rolls were again provided to the delight of the company. Thanks again to the barmaid!

A grand day out.

 

Arrangements for Wednesday 2nd Oct.

 Meet at 10.00.a.m.in the Portencross car park for a walk along the shore and eventually around Hunterston  power station back to the car. Alan has some plans to walk over the hill nearby to suit the younger and fitter members.. 

Bute 18th September

Alan McQ, Davie C, Dougie, Gus, Hugh, Ian, Malcolm, Rex, Robert

Nine Ooters boarded the 10:05 sailing to Bute on a beautiful sunny morning; although some were cutting it a bit fine with a few minutes to spare owing to delays due to various roadworks on the way up and then the difficulty in finding a parking space at Wemyss Bay. For the record, the sailing from Wemyss Bay to Rothesay took 35 minutes and cost £7.60 for a return fare.

A further delay was experienced with the bus to Kilchattan Bay which was late in departing Rothesay due to the number of people boarding and one Ooter's bus pass not being accepted. For the record, a return fare to Kilchattan Bay for the one Ooter who still had to pay was £6.30. Once we were underway, the bus rattled down towards the southern end of the island including a diversion to drop off most of its passengers at Mount Stuart. It was 11:30 by the time we reached Kilchattan Bay and it was decided that we would have coffee here before the commencement of the walk.

Progress along the first stretch of the coastline down to the lighthouse at Rubh' an Eun was slow due to the nature of the terrain and it took around half an hour to cover the first mile. However, with such fine views to appreciate who would want to be in a hurry? We continued to follow the marker posts for the West Island Way round to Glencallum Bay which glistened in the sunshine and rather than push onwards to have lunch at St Blane's Chapel as has often been the case in the past, we found a suitable spot above the bay to have our lunch and enjoy the view over to the peaks of Arran.

After lunch, we continued along the marked trail passing the lochan and St Blane's Chapel which we didn't stop at as we were mindful that we had a ferry to catch - but which ferry would it be? Chances of making the 3pm ferry were looking unlikely by this point as it seemed to be taking us longer than expected to get round - possibly due to the warmer weather, spending more time looking at the views and not having sufficient water with us. The climbs up from St Blane's Chapel and then back over to Kilchattan Bay were found to be challenging to most of us and even though the total mileage of today's outing was a mere 4.6 miles, it had felt like a lot longer.

We arrived back in Kilchattan Bay around 3pm but the next bus to Rothesay wasn't until 15:52 so there was now no chance of us making the 4pm ferry either. However, it wasn't too much of a hardship to sit in the sunshine awaiting our transport. The bus was on time and we were back in Rothesay around 16:20 so had time for a drink in The Taverna Bar before getting the 5pm ferry back to Wemyss Bay. Some partook of a second drink on the ferry whilst others settled for a coffee. It had been a long day despite the walk itself being less than 5 miles and some Ooters would not have got home until after 7pm. However, there was no doubt that it had been a very worthwhile way to spend such a warm and sunny September day.

Images of the walk on Bute

Featuring Alan McQ, Davie C, Dougie, Gus, Hugh, Ian, Malcolm, Rex and Robert

Arrangements for Wednesday 25th September

Failford to Stair

Meet in Failford at 10am for the walk to Stair and back following the River Ayr Way. 

Confirmation of arrangements for Wednesday 18th September

Forecast looking very good for our planned trip to Bute. Meet in Wemyss Bay in time for the 10:05 sailing to Rothesay.

Turnberry to Culzean 11th September

Alan McQ, Davie C, Dougie, Graham, Hugh, Rex

When we met at Turnberry to debate whether to continue down to Ballantrae, an unfavourable weather forecast had already made it look unlikely that we'd end up doing the planned walk along the Ayrshire Coastal Path from Glenapp to Ballantrae, but when we learnt that a road accident had caused the A77 to be closed in both directions at Glenapp the decision not to proceed was effectively made for us. We therefore followed plan B which was not to go directly to the pub but to walk an alternative route from Turnberry to Culzean.

Shortly after setting off, the expected rain started which caused those who had not already done so to don their waterproof trousers with the exception of your scribe who reckoned it would be the briefest of passing showers which indeed it was and we had no further rain for the duration of today's walk. A short distance after passing Turnberry Hotel, we crossed the road and through a gate onto one of the three old runways originally built in 1917. Our route continued past the building which was formerly air traffic control now converted into a private residence and Shanter Farm which was once home of Douglas Graham who was the inspiration of Burns' poem Tam o' Shanter. We stopped in Maidens to inspect the library of books which were on display in a repurposed old red telephone box but there was no honesty box to be seen so either it had been pinched or more likely the library operated on a simple book exchange system. The air was very clear today and we enjoyed pin-sharp visibility over to the Isle of Arran where the houses of Whiting Bay could be clearly seen. We continued through the caravan site and into the grounds of Culzean Country Park where we stopped for coffee at the swan pond until the wasps persuaded us to move on. Rather than turn back at the swan pond, we walked on a bit further to the castle itself, crossed the viaduct and returned to the swan pond via the walled gardens. By the time we were back at the swan pond, it was time for us to have lunch and the wasps returned to pester us.

The return route to Turnberry involved us walking back to Maidens along the beach then using the pavement alongside the main road for a short distance before taking the road up to Turnberry Lighthouse. The final mile of today's outing was along the very pleasant Turnberry beach back to the cars. Your scribe measured today's outing as being exactly 10 miles and it had been a very flat walk all the way round. 

Our watering hole of choice today was The Anchorage in Dunure where we spent a pleasant hour and the usual suspect (and the most recently retired Ooter) made it a three-pint day. All-in-all a very good day out given the initial concerns about the weather forecast and disappointment of not making it down to Glenapp.

Images of the walk between Turnberry and Culzean

Featuring Alan McQ, Davie C, Dougie, Graham, Hugh and Rex

Arrangements for Wednesday 18th September

Bute

Meet in Wemyss Bay in time for the 10:05 sailing to Rothesay. We can discuss on the ferry which walk we will do whilst on the island. In the event of a poor forecast, meet at 10:00 at the second lay-by from Ardrossan for the Portencross circular. Confirmation of arrangements will be shared on the blog and the WhatsApp group on Tuesday evening at 7pm.

Confirmation of arrangements for Wednesday 11th September

Forecast for tomorrow looks similar to today's weather: sunshine and showers. Meet at Lodge Road car park Turnberry (where the A719 meets the A77) at 09:45. We can decide whether to proceed to Ballantrae for the 10:57 bus to Glenapp or have a more sheltered walk from Maidens to Culzean.

Corsencon 4th September

Alan McQ, Allan, Davie C, Dougie, Gus, Hugh, Jimmy, Johnny, Malcolm, Paul

We were assembled at New Cumnock station in plenty of time on a warm September’s morning, so we set off ten minutes early for our walk to Coresncon. The trek up Mansfield Road was straightforward and our usual coffee stop was reached by quarter to eleven.

Decisions! Decisions!

 

At this point Allan, Davie and Johnny decided to forego the climb and retraced their steps, slowly, back to New Cumnock, stopping on the way at a roadside bench to enjoy the warmth. However, by the time they approached the houses again the skies had darkened, and the rain began to fall. The last ten minutes to the cars was done in a torrential downpour, and they were relieved to get to the wee shelter at the station where they took their lunch. It was just after half past twelve at this time.

At five to one they were joined by a rather wet trio i.e. Dougie, Hugh, and Malcolm, who had turned back when the remaining four veered off to tackle the hill. It was still raining but it was warm, and the skies were lightening. They had already taken their lunch, so it was decided to motor to the Black Bull in Mauchline and await the rest there. Hugh made contact to alert them and by the time they set off the skies were blue, and the sunshine had returned. The rain had been very locsalised, as the road to Cumnock was bone-dry.

Having climbed to the trig point, Alan, Gus, Jimmy and Paul came back down the way they had gone up with Jimmy leading them round Craigdullyeart Hill and past the old opencast before emerging on to the main A76 a few hundred yards to the north of the town. It was almost three o’clock when Alan and Gus got to the pub, the other two having decided to go straight home, and said that the extension had taken longer than expected. The phrase ‘Jimmy miles’ was mentioned! A bonus for them though was that by taking that route, they had managed to avoid the downpour. C’est la vie!

As usual the hospitality of the Black Bull has to be mentioned, as sausage rolls were yet again kindly provided to accompany what, for the usual suspects, was a three-pint day.

Some images from the Corsencon walk