17 August Maidens to Dunure

Alan, Allan, Davie, Davie C, Ian, Johnny, Malcolm, Paul, Peter, Rex, Robert

11 Ooters met at Chez Rex for coffee before departing on one of our favourite and oft-described walks. Thanks for the hospitality Rex! This was a momentous day for Davie C, wee Davie, Davie minor (good job his name wasn’t Maurice), or Davy – we really have to agree on how to differentiate between the two Davies – as it was the day that North Ayrshire pupils started school again and he wasn’t there to greet them in his customary way. Having reached 55, (a discussion ensued as to whether this was years, conquests, or inches before sense prevailed and we realised that this was the percentage mark he had got that last time he tried a General Biology paper), Davie had decided to become a fully paid up member of the Ooters. Welcome Davie!

Due to the logistical requirements of positioning cars today Rex was disappointed at having to take his car meaning that he had to put on hold his liaison with a cheeky merlot, or was it matelot? Nevertheless we started our walk around 10.00am and made good progress along the beach and into Culzean. Debate had taken place as to whether we should skirt round Culzean on the beach or do what we usually do and enter the park. The decision was made to deviate a bit from our normal route and head for the coffee shop via the walled garden. It was here that the gardeners informed us that dogs were not allowed in the garden. Despite us assuring them that Holly wasn’t our dug they refused to relent. Davie, Davie, has anybody seen Davie? Davie and his namesake were posted missing. Robert and Johnny had to escort Holly along the road whilst the rest of us had a look at the garden – an impressive sight at this time of the year.

As we met up with Robert again his phone was ringing. It was Davie enquiring as to our whereabouts – and we thought he didn’t do technology. He was at the coffee shop and within minutes we had joined the terrible twins, the gruesome twosome, Little and Large, whatever. Please note that not once had he enquired as to the location or welfare of his dug. Sad to relate the scones were like bricks again and since we were being molested by wasps, attracted by the jam, we pushed on and headed for our lunch spot on the rocks by the beach. It was on this stretch (if I’m right) that the Kilmarnock Academy contingent encountered a former colleague heading in the opposite direction. It wasn’t until later that the ex-Ravenspark guys realised that the walker, John Harris, had also been a former colleague in the seventies.

Soon we were on our way again and made our way up from the beach and on to the path that skirts the cliff. Before we knew it we were at the look-out tower and, heavens above, we didn’t stop as we usually do. What is the world coming to? Anyway the car park at Dunure was reached at 2pm, just in time as a drizzle had begun just as we had approached the castle.

This meant that FRT (Fluid Replacement Therapy, for info) was partaken inside the Inn rather than outside. Allan, driving, was able to report that the calibre of the Kaliber would have blunted Excalibur.