Allan, Davie C, Davie Mc, Gus, Ian,
Jimmy, Kenny T, Malcolm, Paul, Peter, Robert
This was a first for the Ooters – a
visit to Calderglen Country Park for a walk down the Calder gorge and beyond.
The weather was kind to us, not like the thunder, lightning and heavy rain of
the previous week which had led to the walk being postponed, and so we set off
in good walking conditions i.e. dry, bright and comfortably warm. Robert was
leading, as he had discovered the walk in the Herald and clung tightly to the
clipping as he negotiated us out of the car park.
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Looking down into the gorge |
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View stop |
Following the regular signs, we made
our way down to the path above the Calder and with the river on our left hand
side we continued on under the A726 Strathaven road and followed on the path
until we reached Hurlawcrook Road. We crossed this road and a wee bit further
down found the continuation of the path towards Langlands Moss Nature Reserve.
Wishing to head over the Moss and aim for Auldhouse we ignored the direction
indicated by the sign, which had obviously been turned round by ‘helpful’
locals, and took to the boardwalk over the boggy stuff. Before long we found
that a section of the boardwalk had been vandalised in that a thirty metre
section had been set on fire and was no more. Ignoring a sign which
discouraging walkers from taking to the Moss, we made the remaining section of
the boardwalk without any alarm and soon found the path which took us towards
Auldhouse. Before long though we were in the horns of a dilemma, or since Peter
was present, in the corns of a dilemma. Should we follow the main track in
front of us or take a path off to the right. The company was split with
Robert’s cutting not conclusive. Holly made her way to the right but she hadn’t
done this walk before, so, for once, we ignored her and her followers and
decided to go straight on. Within a hundred yards this decision proved to be
correct as we reached Langlands Road and a signpost pointing to Auldhouse.
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Country cousins |
As we headed up the road we met a
group of lady walkers heading in the opposite direction and, as Jimmy
reminisced with one of them about cross-country races at Cumnock, the others
confirmed that Auldhouse was just up the road but that the pub wasn’t open yet.
The restaurant and pub looked very inviting, but we had our pieces with us and
found a wee park close by for coffee and/or lunch. The adjacent Primary School
had had its original building renovated and added to by ultra-modern glass
structures. It was not to everyone’s taste but certainly caught the eye.
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Clear signs of fire damage |
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The walkwayless section |
The next part of the walk took us on
a loop, just to make the walk a bit longer. We followed Cleughearn Road up to
its junction with Millwell Road, turned left and then left again back on to
Hurlawcrook Road down past Langlands Golf Course and back on to the path taking
us back to our starting point. We did take time though for another short stop
by the river to allow those who still had pieces left to eat them. The Visitor
Centre was reached three hours and forty-five minutes after starting and by
this time the whole area and its attractions was hoaching.
FRT was taken back at the Kings in
Fenwick. A good day out and one which we can repeat again.
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