Portencross 7 December

Allan, Davie Mc, Dougie, Gus, Ian, Jim, Jimmy, Johnny, Kenny R, Kenny T, Malcolm, Paul, Rex, Robert

The prospect of high winds meant that we would do the Portencross circuit today rather than travel to Cumbrae, and so we assembled at the car park next to the castle on a very dreich December morning. Clockwise was to be the direction and we sped off towards the power station and beyond before turning up to the bridle path. A convenient small, sheltered clearing in the trees was chosen for coffee before the loop was completed in two and a half hours. (Fuller descriptions of the route are available on previous posts.) For most, lunch was taken at the picnic benches to the accompaniment of the crashing waves. The wimps, or the wise, sat in their car.

Because of cutbacks the auld folk's treat is no longer held indoors

We thought that Wetherspoon’s in Irvine might be too busy at this unearthly early hour, especially being so close to Christmas, so we set off up the road to the Village Inn at Fairlie. The entrance to the car park was blocked so we drove round the front to discover it was shut ‘until further notice’. Kenny T’s search of the internet suggested that the Kings Arms in West Kilbride might be an option, and a good one it proved to be. Yet again there were only a couple of regulars inside, making us question its long-term viability. However, the barmaid was more than pleasant and even refused money for the coffees. She was able to tell us that she used to work in the Village Inn and, as far as she knew, it was now shut for good, as trade had been poor. A victim of the new Wetherspoon’s in Largs?
We had a very sociable hour at the Kings and certainly will return the next time we are in that neck of the woods.