Portencross Plus 21 Nov

Alan, Allan, Andy, Davie C, Davie McM, Ian, Jimmy, Johnny, Paul, Rex, Robert, Ronnie

For the first time in weeks the weather gods were with us when we assembled at the car park between Ardrossan and Seamill for today’s walk. We’ve done the Portencross Circular on numerous occasions and have done Ardrossan to Seamill as part of the Ayrshire Coastal Path but combining the two, in order to give us a longer walk, was to prove challenging, particularly as it was Johnny’s (aka Zippy) return to the fold after brain surgery. We are happy to report that the surgeon found nothing*.

Paul’s recently posted route map shows the path taken, but it should be reported that there was yet another schism as one group took to the shore and another to the pavement before coming together just beyond the Hydro and joining the path next to the golf course before stopping for coffee just short of  Portencross Road. The golf course, it has to be said, was in great condition considering the recent deluges and was being enjoyed by many a golfer taking advantage of the late autumn sun.

Coffee finished, we took the anti-clockwise route along the road and up to Thirdpart Holdings, noticing a new house being built and trying to ascertain the progress with the big house that seems to have been under construction for years. Hedge cutting tractors had to negotiated, as were a couple of horsewomen making sure that their mounts weren’t spooked by a gaggle of recently retired professional gentlemen.

Soon we reached the main road and turned almost immediately back on to the path taking us back to the shorefront at Hunterston passing the building with the Latin inscription (for which we couldn’t remember the translation) on the clock. Lunch was taken atop what looked like a sewer pipe, hopefully now defunct.  We can pick the spots, so we can! This was a break in tradition as lunch is normally taken at the rocks just beyond the power station but you’ve got to live a little and be adventurous at times!

Jimmy had his binoculars out by now, they can’t touch him for it, and was actively looking for the bird life. Ronnie suggested the late night bus home from Prestwick would provide greater opportunity but might steam up his lenses.

As we moved past the power station and followed the new part of the road before joining the path through the fields beneath the cliffs, we realised what had been missing from this walk today…glaur!

Undaunted, Portencross castle was reached and after checking whether it was open, it wasn’t, we continued up the road before retracing our steps down past the golf course and back on to the beach for the return journey. On reaching the Hydro, Johnny and Allan took to the road again whilst the rest continued back to the cars along the shorefront.

This was a long walk (four and a half hours) and the last couple of miles from Portencross back to the car park proved  challenging on the feet and legs. However it made the FRT at the Laurieston even more enjoyable.

*Sorry, nothing unexpected.