Knockroon, Ochiltree, Dumfries House 1st July

Alan McQ, Allan, Davie C, Davie Mc, Dougie, Hugh, Jimmy, Johnny, Malcolm, Peter, Rex, Robert

It was an overcast morning as we waited at Knockroon for the bus to Ochiltree. It arrived on time and we piled in for the easy part of today’s outing. Derval Davie took the opportunity on the journey to use some of his chat-up lines on some elderly ladies who were only too eager to respond. Thankfully, we arrived in Ochiltree before numbers were exchanged!

We took the familiar Lugar Trail back towards Dumfries House and were pleased that, on the initial stages, the path had been recently strimmed but further on the work still had to be done, or not. Anyway, we reached the track up to the A frame and decided to avoid it this time and turn right towards the estate reaching the Woodland Shelter for coffee. Although overcast it was warm, and layers were removed before we moved on.

Davie (and Isla), Peter and Robert decided to head for Knockroon from there whilst the rest took the opportunity to visit the walled garden and its array of flowers, shrubs, fruit and vegetables. Most colour came from the display of delphiniums but the whole garden was looking good and the veg was well ahead of that of the gardeners amongst us. We didn’t delay for too long before taking to the path back towards the shelter, noting the copious amount of mulch that the workers were putting around the trees and shrubs in the arboretum, and continuing towards our exit point.

Next stop was a brief one under the road bridge where it was decided that we would go straight on today rather than go left and up the burn-side path towards Auchinleck. In doing so we caught up with Davie and Peter who were taking lunch at the bench but Robert, who needed to be home early, had pushed on ahead. We reached the point where we took the steps, or what is left of them, up the steep climb to the higher path which we found to be really overgrown with grass and nettles making the going difficult. Nonetheless, we emerged out of the worst of it to find the wet, grassy path up to the main road needing cut as well and leaving the bottoms of our trousers soaking.

By the time we got back to the cars we were well stretched out with the back markers arriving at about twenty to one having covered five and a half miles. A decent walk in dry, warm overhead conditions.

FRT was taken in the Black Bull in Mauchline where we were treated to sausage rolls and biscuits yet again. Many thanks, folks! A satisfying end to a good day out.

Some images from the Ochiltree to Cumnock walk

 

Arrangements for Wednesday 8th July

Ardeer

Meet at the car park at Stevenston beach (beside the 'Doon the Beach' Community Café) for a walk around the Ardeer peninsula which includes the local nudist beach. Clothes optional!

Arrangements for 1st July

 Meet at Knockroon at 9.30am to catch the bus to Ochiltree and then walk back via Dumfries House.

Darvel and Curry 24th June

Alan McQ, Allan, Davie C, Davie Mc, Dougie, Graham, Gus, Hugh, Jimmy, Johnny, Malcolm, Peter, Rex, Robert

There was a healthy turnout of Ooters on a hot, summer’s day for our pre-curry walk. Davie and Kay treated us to coffee and pies (which were scoffed in true Ooters style) before we set off across the park and up through Lanfine, passing the family of boars as we did. Given the temperature, the pace was sensible and before too long we were heading back down towards the riverside path. At this point Alan, Dougie, Graham, Gus and Rex turned left towards Newmilns whilst the majority turned right and took the shorter route back to Darvel stopping for a break at the wall at the old dam. They were back at Davie’s just before twelve having covered about four and a half miles and were glad to accept the offer of a cold drink of juice at Le Jardin de Derval.

The smaller group arrived in Newmilns and went up Dalwhatswood Road (a taxing climb at the best of times, never mind in the heat) before coming back into Darvel by Foulpapple Road and Burn Road.

Many thanks again to Kay and Davie for their hospitality and to Davie for setting a trend for having a pie before a walk. However, the suggestion to start each walk form a Gregg’s was rejected on health and safety grounds.

 

There was an early start in the evening at the Jewel (5pm) to allow the guys to get home for the 11pm start of the Scotland v Brazil World Cup match. The occasion was to mark both Robert’s and Peter’s 80^th birthdays, and the fourteen above were joined by Billy, Ian, Kenny T, Paul and Ronnie, a tremendous attendance to celebrate our 2^nd (Peter) and 3^rd (Robert) octogenarians, Rex, of course, being the 1^st. Derval Davie gave the company an extremely witty speech in their honour, full of reminiscences and reminders of the good times the Ooters have had and produced his Johnny-produced booklet from the first Burns Supper in which he had the signatures of the attendees. It brought it all back. Wee Davie presented them (two of the founder members) with gifts for Robert to enjoy and Peter to ponder. We hope he enjoyed his yoghurt! Well done to Davie for sourcing the gifts and his humorous words. Robert replied in good spirit, or was it spirits, on behalf of himself and Peter.

Thanks again to Katrina and Lucy for their attention and to the Jewel for accommodating us. It was a great night finished off with most visiting Wetherspoon’s (with many punters in Scotland rigouts) for a night cap and some traditional Kilmarnock entertainment (see Graham for a fuller explanation), before heading home. Thanks to Robert for buying the round and we wish Peter and him all the very best.