Jimmy, Davie C, Alan, Robert, Ian, Paul, Rex, Malcolm, Peter
9 Ooters gathered at Cumnock Leisure Centre for the proposed walk to
Ochiltree and back. The weather forecast was not promising, with the south of
Ayrshire expected to get more rain than the north.
Nevertheless, the walk started with
dry overhead conditions, in contrast to the underfoot conditions which, on the
footpath following the Lugar Water, were decidedly muddy.
We headed towards Dumfries House, whose grounds were a hive of
activity. We stopped to inspect the work going on close to the old sawmill,
where skills' workshops are now housed. Needless to say we called in for refreshments at
the café, where coffee, cakes and one bacon roll (no guesses necessary …) were consumed.
Whilst we were tucking in, the rain started, but undeterred we sallied
forth. We took a look at the Prince’s Drawing School in the newly-renovated
Dimplex House (even the Duke of Rothesay needs sponsorship) which, according to
the noticeboard was a youth hostel in the 1960s (your scribe can find no
evidence). Next point
of call was the walled garden where very substantial earthworks were being
carried out – the whole of the topsoil and subsoil having been removed.
As we were leaving the grounds
of the House we were assailed by a heavy shower of hail and were obliged to
shelter and huddle, Emperor penguin-style, in the lee of a tree trunk. Jimmy
managed to get the highly prized central location.
After lunch we descended the slopes and followed the Lugar Water to
Ochiltree, past old Ochiltree mill and along crumbling and flooded paths. A
football was retrieved from the river by Peter and this provided some
entertainment; until our member from down under, not versed in the rules and nuances of the kicking game, returned
the ball to the river with an action which would have been more at home on the
polo field.
By now it had become clear we would not be walking back from Ochiltree
because of the inclement weather and so we headed to the bus stop. Finding
there was time to kill, we chose to make
our visit to Ochiltree a cultural one and we headed up the main street to “the
House with the Green Shutters” …easily indentifiable by the green shutters
attached to the house! Not many admitted to having read George Douglas Brown’s
opus, and the observations of those who had read it (or at least started it)
were not likely to have the uncultured ones rushing to get a Kindle download.
In no time we were back in Cumnock (Davie C being £2.50 worse off than
when he boarded the bus) and refreshments were taken in the re-refurbished
Sun Inn, where a pleasant hour was spent.
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