Ochiltree to Cumnock 23 December

Alan, Allan, Davie C, Davie Mc, Francesco, Gus, Johnny, Malcolm, Peter, Rex, Robert

Peter's better side!

The recent rains had given way to a bright, windy morning and the weather was to stay fair for the duration of our pre-Christmas walk. Given the direction of the chill wind, it was decided to take the bus to Ochiltree and to walk back from there. Jimmy arrived to tell us that he wisnae weel and would not be joining us, but we were delighted to welcome Francesco from our Italian branch. Apparently he had made Rex an offer he couldn’t refuse, so Rex felt obliged to bring him along!

We started walking from Ochiltree just after ten and, as could be expected given the amount of rain that had fallen, the track was very muddy in places. An hour or so after setting out, we were having coffee at the Barony A Frame. Robert, ever the thoughtful one (can’t believe I’ve said that), had brought a flask of warm gluhwein which he dispensed to grateful recipients. Well done, Robert! Next year remember the mince pies and Christmas cake though!

Davie wanted evidence that the sun was shining on 23 Dec

On leaving here, Peter suggested a different path rather than retrace our steps down the bing, but, given the uncertainty surrounding the actual path to take, half the company took the familiar route back to the Dumfries House estate, whilst the rest followed Peter. Peter’s instincts proved to be right (again, can’t believe I’ve said that) as his group had taken the shorter route and were first to arrive at the estate. Time was taken to take in the walled garden before our lunch stop at our usual howff in the arboretum. By this time Francesco, whose English was good, admitted that he was having difficulty with our local dialects (who invited Dr Who anyway?). He felt better when it was explained to him that half of us couldn’t understand what the others were saying and the other half couldn’t hear a thing anyway.

The walled garden looks good, even in winter

We didn’t go up to the house this time but took a look at the maze under construction before taking the riverside path back to Cumnock, arriving at the cars three hours after having started walking. We had had a good walk in bright overhead conditions, indeed it was warm out of the wind, and felt the better for the exercise.

FRT was taken in the Black Bull in Mauchline which is fast becoming our preferred hostelry in this neck of the woods.

Francesco takes a pic

Catrine to Dumfries House via Auchinleck House and Ochiltree 6 August

Alan, Allan, Davie C, Davie Mc, Johnny, Malcolm, Paul, Peter, Robert

Looking up at Auchinleck Castle

Despite the forecast, the rain had cleared from Catrine as we assembled for the day’s walk. Some dared not to tempt fate and wear waterproofs whilst others thought that the glass was half-full. The latter won the day as, apart from a ten minute spell, the day improved to the extent that, before long, shirt sleeves were all that was required (well, other than trousers, boots etc).

The belvedere

From Catrine we followed the well-worn track up to the café at Catrine House (not yet open when we arrived) and continued on towards the road leading to Auchinleck House. We deviated, as is our wont, down to the old summer house by the burn for coffee after which Peter took us, via the gorge walk, first to the remains of the old Auchinleck House and then to the even older and close-by Auchinleck Castle. It was whilst looking down into the gorge from here that we heard a noise that was first identified as perhaps an oyster catcher – where is the resident ornithologist when you need him? – but later the consensus was that it was the mating call of the lesser spotted Boab.

From here it was along the path to Auchinleck House and what a surprise awaited us! The outbuildings had been beautifully restored into a restaurant (Boswell’s), shop and meeting room. A new children’s play area had been built as well as the main road in having been re-surfaced. The whole project had been a good job well done.

Our next port of call was to be Ochiltree and as we came down the road from the big house, which we decided not to visit as we have seen it many times before, the question was which route to take i.e. continue down the road or to cut through the trees and field. It was left to Peter to decide and we took the latter route only to be baulked later on by the steepness of a gorge. Whilst those who had been here before tried to work out the correct route, an alternative way was easily found by going into the adjacent field and following the track round its edge. After a wee bit of scrambling, the path was found which took us over the old bridge into Ochiltree and lunch. By this time the weather was very pleasant indeed and it was a struggle to pick up our bags and set off again.

Walled garden

We followed the path beside the Lugar up to where you can turn left to go to the A-Frame,

but on this occasion we gave this a miss and continued on towards Dumfries House. If the changes at Auchinleck House had been a pleasant surprise, the changes in the grounds of Dumfries House were astonishing. The walled garden had been completely transformed and looked wonderful. The plants, the brickwork, the belvedere, the steps the whole shooting match showed that a lot of money had been spent and that an emphasis had been made on quality. Well worth a look!

The roof of the belvedere - to which our handymen can aspire

As we made our way to the new arboretum we took note of the people who had helped fund the changes. HRH had obviously used his influence to good effect. The trees in the arboretum were still very immature but a pagoda had been built by the Prince’s Trust and looked excellent. The inside walls were adorned with the verses of Burns. It was decided that this would make a good Ooters’ howff but might need extending if it was to accommodate Johnny’s sets of dominoes, not to mention his home brew.

Heading through the arboretum

Lizzie was here

On our way to the refurbished bridge Davie Mc met one of his friends who was working there and a good few minutes were spent blethering. From there it was up to the restaurant, noticing yet another children’s adventure play area, and on to the House itself for a photo-call. The next question was whether we take the road into Cumnock for the bus back to Catrine or to go to Auchinleck for said bus. The Auchinleck route was chosen and before too long we were outside the impressive Tamar Manoukian Outdoor Centre which is the base for the Ayrshire branch of Youth United, one of Prince Charles’ charities. The centre hosts some impressive accommodation (check it out using Google) and will soon feature an archery range and an indoor sports hall featuring climbing walls. This must be what we saw under construction and it looks an awesome structure. Peter then wanted to take us to see the remains of an old wartime prison camp but by this time tongues were hanging out in the warm sunshine and visions of a cold beer were beginning to haunt us, so we went straight up to the main road before turning into Auchinleck and heading for the bus stop to take us back to the cars. Our luck ran out when we saw said bus turn up towards Catrine when we were still a couple of hundred yards short. Nevertheless, a 25 minute wait for the next one was no hardship. We had been on the go for 5 hours 40 minutes and savoured the rest whilst awaiting its arrival.

Back at the cars the decision was made to go to the Black Bull at Mauchline for a much deserved FRT.

Congratulations to Peter for planning the walk and organising the weather!