Darvel 17 August

Allan, Davie C, Davie Mc, Dougie, Gus, Hugh, Johnny, Malcolm, Paul, Robert

Many thanks to Kay and Davie for the pre-walk coffee and scones at the Café Derval. Very much appreciated.

Leaving Davie’s on a coolish, but dry, morning we crossed the park and took to the Long Cairn Walk, a familiar setting for the Ooters. It had been a wee while since some of us had done this walk and we had forgotten just how many climbs there were on the road, or are we just getting older? By about quarter past eleven we were at Alan McQ’s friend Mike’s house, complete with weather station, and we stopped briefly for a drink and to let Davie the Kitty have his snack before moving on to Loudoun Hill.

 Decisions! Decisions!

 Derval Davie, Gus, Hugh, and Paul decided to go up the hill whilst the rest chose to skirt the base using the path, but not before stopping for lunch. Moving on, the larger group got to the tarmac and decided to walk on hoping that the climbers would catch up. We stopped for a moment to talk to what we assumed to be a farmer hand digging some potatoes for the Darvel Show. We now know that he was an ex-GP Billy Ramsay? who knew Davie Mc. The homeward leg along the new path on the old railway line was uneventful although we did meet a ‘lady’ wi’ twa dugs, one of which took a fancy to Isla when the following group encountered her. See Davie for vivid description of the encounter.

Me and my shadow!

 The advance guard arrived back at Davie’s exactly four hours after having left and having covered the best part of ten miles, with the remainder not too far behind.

The ten above were joined by Alan, Alan McQ, Ian, and Rex for a curry night at the Jewel in honour of, or maybe just to commiserate with, Alan McQ going back to work. Catrina worked her socks off during the evening and was rewarded with a round of applause. Wetherspoon’s followed to finish of another most enjoyable social evening.