Cumnock Circular 5 February

Alan, Allan, Billy, Dougie, Gus, Hugh, Iain, Jim, Jimmy, Johnny, Kenny T, Malcolm, Paul, Rex, Robert

The guys were champing at the bit to get started on a grey, but dry, morning, so started to make a move out of the car park at Cumnock swimming pool before 10 o’clock, only to be stopped in their tracks by a phone call to say that Kenny and Jim were on their way. Bang on the deadline the two arrived and we were on our way just after ten.

Jimmy led us up past Knockroon and then turned right on to the Lugar road (Rigg Road) for the first part of our walk. As we passed Blackstone Farm, famous for its Clydesdales, Jimmy could almost see into his house way down to the right of us, but onwards we pressed, on the assumption that we were headed for Lugar. Not so! Taking a left, we continued on a minor road until we came to a junction. Left for Auchinleck, right for Cronberry. We took a right and headed for Cronberry. Halfway along we found a spot for coffee, but we didn’t delay for too long as, although the walking conditions were very good, it wasn’t long before you felt the cold when you stopped moving.
We passed the entrance to Riverside Gardens (Cronberry), crossed the main road (A70), and walked down the verge for a quarter of a mile or so before stopping at the junction of another minor road to our left. ‘If we take this road it is four miles back to the cars. If we go down the main road it is about a mile and a half’. After some discussion we took the longer route, wondering whether the measurements were in the infamous ‘Jimmy miles’. This route took us past the remains of old opencasts before we stopped for lunch just before a wee road off to our right, which would be our next direction, despite it being closed due to works on the bridge over the burn.
No matter, lunch was taken and finished off with liquorice allsorts washed down with tequila (courtesy of Malcolm, just back from Mexico). This combination met with approval!
Anyway, to get back to the journey, there was no-one working on the bridge, despite the signs saying it would be out of action for six weeks, and we passed over it with no bother and turned right on to Glenmuir Water Road. If we had gone left, we would have ended up at Dalblair, our starting point for the Deil’s Back Door. This road took as past Logan and on to Muirkirk Road (the A70 again) for the last leg down into Cumnock and the cars.
We had done ten and a half miles in three and three-quarter hours and the constant walking on tarmac had taken its toll on the feet. Better that, however, than tramping through muck.
FRT was taken at the Black Bull in Mauchline where, yet again, we were treated to sausage rolls and nibbles. Thanks again to the barmaid!
Some weary limbs eventually made their way home after a good day out.
Thanks to Jimmy for this new walk for the Ooters!