Irvine Valley Walk

Starting off near Crookedholm

A rest by the riverside (Actually waiting for the slowcoaches to catchup.)

Robert leads the way along the riverside.

Loudoun Kirk

Let us Pray. Grace before lunch?

In the Burn Anne Wood

Climbing up the valley side near Threepwood

Leaving our lunch stop on the lip of the Irvine Valley

The Darvel 'mast' on the Ga'ston Muir

Alan, Allan, Davie C, Davie Mc, Gus, Jimmy, Johnny, Malcolm, Rex, Robert

Most of us met at the Bowling Club in Hurlford where we awaited the country cousins. They, however, parked on the road and anxiously awaited the arrival of the rest of us. You couldn’t write the script, well you could but no-one would believe it!

Nonetheless, sanity prevailed, we found each other, and we were on our way on the Grougar Walk following the River Irvine. Most of this was thankfully on tarmac as the off road part suffered from the previous night’s rain i.e. it was muddy. The weather today was to be bright and reasonably warm in the shelter but, when exposed to the snell wind, it was decidedly Baltic.

We passed by Ladyton Loch and coffee was taken at our usual stop at Loudoun Kirk before crossing the A71 into Galston. Now, some of the company, names are not needed, but can be guessed, hoped and assumed that we would take the low, shorter route along the river up to Darvel, but our leader for the day, when will we ever learn?, decided that we would take the high road and head up towards the Burn Anne (or Burnawn) Walk. Through Burnhouse Wood we went and across to Cessnock Wood before emerging at our normal lunch spot. The benches here had deteriorated and were not fit for purpose so someone was heard to say there was a wee spot round the next corner. Now, have we not heard this before?

We continued on the Burn Anne Walk up to its highest point near Threepwood where lunch was taken. Allan eventually arrived extolling the virtues of this more scenic, hilly route!

It was too exposed to wait long here so we made our way to the road and turned left up past Cairnhill before turning off left again and making our way through the plantation and up to the Gallow Hill road. Here we turned right and headed up towards Eastfield where we turned left and headed down towards Lanfine Estate, taking a few minutes to observe the wild boars. The Black Bull in Darvel was a very welcome sight indeed.

This had been a long walk, five and a quarter hours, and the bodies were weary when we eventually arrived back at Hurlford (by bus of course).

For more information on the route google ‘Irvine Valley Walks’ and choose ‘Ayrshire Paths – Walking from Hurlford to Darvel’. There is also a description of the Burn Anne Walk available.