Just 8 Ooters gathered at the waterworks, with snow lying on the hills and falling quite heavily in the car park. After a lengthy discussion Kenny and Davie M chose to walk around the reservoir whilst the other six opted for the scheduled walk.
We parted company above the reservoir, with Holly looking bemused as she was restrained on her lead. Kenny took a photo of the assembled six which had a feel of the parting shot of a Himalayan expedition.
It wasn't long before we were in uncharted territory. New roads, servicing recently constructed turbines, transformed the route we were accustomed to.
The good news was that Robert had the forethought to bring a map. The bad news was that the new tracks weren't on it.
We headed off in what we reckoned was the right direction and soon came to a crossroads. We passed around a gate and Robert went to survey the scene ahead, but he soon returned saying the road had come to an end. As we turned back to the gate we found an enormous map attached to the fence. "You are here" was nowhere to be seen on it. The map covered a large area and showed a line of what we surmised were numbered pylons. As luck would have it, there was a pylon close by. Paul went off to check the number ... and, of course, there wasn't one. Gus went off to check the number of the nearest turbine but it didn't correspond with anything on the map.
Alan and Robert pored over the map whilst Paul checked the GPS. The two Munroists deployed their well-honed map-reading skills and decided on the direction of travel. The chosen route involved a large sweeping 180 degree curve but lo and behold! we were soon on a track which looked vaguely familiar to those who had done the walk before.
Eventually we came to the low bridge where on previous walks we would stop for coffee. This area had been transformed too, with two roads running off to the left and and another to the right. After more map reading and GPS-checking we set off on the second left- and there was no coffee stop!
All this time the snow was falling but the forestry protected us from the north wind. We were on the look out for a clearing on our left which is our traditional route up to the Windy Standard ridge. We found it and started our trudge up through deep snow. Robert said later he found it hard going, the rest of us thought it not too bad. Perhaps this had something to do with Robert leading the way up through the virgin snow whilst the rest of us followed in his footsteps.
By now it was around 12.20 and we decided to have a combined coffee/lunch stop, sheltering from the wind in the lee of the first turbine on the ridge. Break over we followed the service road up to the top of the hill. We were in the clouds and snow was still falling but the service road was relatively clear. It was a long slog to the top and the final turbine. But we found it. This is where, in the past we would stop for lunch and admire the view. This time we had no lunch and no view.
Davie M had advised us to keep the fence to our right as we descended and we did just that. Oddly, the track though under snow was easily found. The snow was a good 6 inches deep on the descent, added to which there were drifts and filled-in hollows. But we made good progress. Eventually we could hear the whirr of a turbine. We heard it long before we could see it because we were still befogged. This was a new turbine and we figured that where there are turbines there would be roads. Robert went off to check then called us over.
We followed the service road, but not for long. At a junction there was an "Exit" sign and we reckoned that direction wasn't for us, not being sure where the exit would be. Instead we left the road and headed down the snowy slopes towards the valley bottom. The snow was still deep. At last we were out of the clouds and we could see the reservoir and the road along its banks ... but first we had to negotiate a felled forest with tree stumps, roots and discarded branches eager to catch out the unwary. We survived it and it was with relief that we all gathered on the road and began our march back to the parked cars, passing what might have been the exit signposted earlier.
But it might not have been.
FRT was taken at the Black Bull, Mauchline (apologies to Jimmy who said he would meet us for a drink if we let him know where we were going. The first person to see your message was Ian, just as we entered the Black Bull).
It might not sound like it but it was a great walk, enjoyed by everyone. It's good to be tested now and again. And a special mention for Robert and Alan, our navigators. The boys done well.
Distance 9.4 miles. Time taken 4.5 hours
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