Dalfram to Sorn 28 June 2017

11 Present: Jim, Jimmy, Peter, Davie C, Davie M, Bob, Rex, Kenny T, Ian, Malcolm, Dougie, Gus.

Having organised the cars at both ends, we set off from Dalfram about 5 to 10. It was not bright but at least it was dry, although, as we discovered to our cost, the overnight rain was going to make it very wet underfoot.

The first section across Aird's Moss was easy going with Davie M pointing out where John Lapraik's house stood. It was only after our coffee stop at the old brig over the Greenock Water that we started to encounter some deep grass.  No maintenance had been done on this section of the path although later on in the day we came across some young guys towards the Sorn end scything and strimming and uncovering the path.

It was remarked on the proliferation of wild orchids to be found; some light blue and others a very deep purple. Davie M managed to astound Bob by pointing out some Ragged Robin, a flower which Bob hadn't heard of. At one point on the path we came across a dose of gunnera (no, not the stuff you need antibiotics for). This was neck high or in Davie C's case …  By the way, has anybody seen Davie C since?

After we passed the guys working on the path, the walk became an absolute dawdle and we arrived back at the cars 3 hours and 55 minutes after we had left the cars.  Again although not a bright day the weather had been kind to us.

Some left early to attend a Kilmarnock Academy retirement presentation while the rest of us repaired  to the Black Bull in Mauchline for FRT. The barmaid supplied us with a huge plate of pizza which disappeared like snaw aff a dyke. Our thanks go to her.

Davie M mentioned that if Alan S wasn't present on the walks, the blog wasn't getting written up. As the blog constitutes the history of the Early Ooters he felt that this should be rectified and suggested that each of us take a turn at writing a description of the walk. Let's see what happens.