Auchincruive 18 December 2024

 

Alan McQ, Alan S, Davie C, Gus, Hugh, Malcolm, Jimmy, Paul, Rex & Robert

It’s amazing what suggestions are made when we are full of curry and beer – some are best forgotten but one or two are actually quite sensible and, more to the point, remembered. But more of that later.

                The walk round Auchincruive was accepted as one of our more sensible suggestions at the curry last week and that was the plan for today. Ten of us gathered at the bowling green in Annbank at the appointed hour. The route was left in the capable? hands of Alan McQ for this was his suggestion and he knows the area. A chill wind blew and a drizzle threatened but came to nothing as we started down the lane towards Brocklehill Farm and into the shelter of the trees. At the wee burn we turned left. This was very familiar territory as we have come this way often in the past. But what should have been a straightforward walk down to the side of the river, was not. A fallen tree completely blocked the path. Not a tree trunk that we could climb or fall over as has been done before but a tangle of interwoven branches stretching for twenty yards along our path. No choice then but to make an uphill diversion on a pad that was unfamiliar to most.

                Our unplanned diversion brought us back down to the river further along than we expected. Then it was an easy walk along the river, dipping under the occasional fallen tree, below Auchincruive House, over Oswald’s Brig and up to the cairn Commemorating Burns’ and Wallace’s connection with Leglen Wood. This was a good place for coffee. And a good place to linger for a while if only the chill wind would allow.

                Leaving the cairn after coffee, some had notions that we would return by the route we had come but our esteemed leader for the day had other ideas. Back over the brig and Mr. McQ had us walking along the edge of a field down the right side of the river. Then he found the wettest, muckiest field track to bring us back onto the River Ayr Way. Any thoughts we had of returning to Auchincruive by that route were dashed as he directed us up through the trees of Newbarns Wood. This brought us to a better track with a view west over Ayr. Now we could stride out back towards Auchincruive.

                We entered Auchincrfuive policies by the old stables, now the Clocktower café. Again, our leader had us off piste and following an abandoned estate road past a hatchery and own to the Bothy café. On picnic benches outside the café we sat for lunch.

                After lunch we followed a path above the gorge of the river and back to Annbank via the wood.

A festive FRT was taken in The Tap O The Brae in Annbank with Ooters supplying savouries , clootie dumpling and mince pies and the pub supplying the ale. Our thanks go to those supplying the food and to the pub for allowing us to eat it on the premises.

 PS On 4 January 2023 we did a walk from Mossblown to Ayr taking in much of the territory we covered today.