17 Nov 2010 Muirkirk to Sorn

Alan, Allan, Davie, Ian, Malcolm, Peter, Paul and Mary, Ronnie, Rex, Holly, Nola
Peter had organised this walk for today. We assembled at the car park at the cemetery in Sorn for a 9 o’clock start. Guess who thought it was a 9.30 start!
Anyway, the weather was gay dreich (spelt this way so as not to further confuse our antipodean associate member) and there was talk of curtailing the walk and making the starting point the Greenock Bridge. Somebody calculated though that walking from Greenock might not curtail the trek at all and after another of our famous votes the optimists won and we set off for the usual starting point (wherever that actually is). By the time we reached there the weather had deteriorated further but, with waterproofs on, we set off. To be fair the weather for the rest of the day was to be better than forecast, light rain blown by a strong wind, and chilly. Because of this the pace was brisk -now there’s a surprise – and we followed the River Ayr Way until coffee was called for at the normal spot beside the wee bridge. We sat down the banking and enjoyed the shelter from the wind before it was time to get under way again. It was heads down as we yomped to our next stop which, as per usual, was beside the river for lunch, closely watched as it happens by a herd of cows in the neighbouring field. ‘The stick of the year’ award was then given to Peter who had cut a perfect piece of hazel into a walking stick, much to the chagrin of Holly and Nola who couldn’t understand why it wasn’t being thrown for them. Soon it was time to move on and before long we were back at Sorn where Peter bade us farewell for the day and walked off back to Catrine. ‘3hours and 42 minutes’, cried Davie as we took shelter whilst the drivers returned to pick up their cars. By this time the wind was perishing and the prospect of a pint in a warm pub was uppermost on our minds.
FRT was taken in Nansie’s po… sorry, Poosie Nansie’s in Mauchline where it has to be recorded that those partaking of lager shandies had to return their drinks as the lemonade was aff. Is this a first?