Lowthers 21 June

 

Allan, Davie C, Gus, Hugh, Jimmy, Malcolm, Paul, Rex, Robert

The talk on the way down to Wanlockhead was of last night’s Scotland game which was preceded by rain of biblical proportions. The game started, probably a mistake, and then was paused for ninety minutes to allow the ground staff to clear the pitch of water. Scotland went on to win 2-0. Read on!

Anyway, we parked at the overflow car park as you entered the village and set off in good spirits on a dry, bright morning. The forecast suggested passing showers and there was low cloud on the top of the hills, but we were certain it would burn off in the sun. Progress was good up the road and by eleven o’clock we were at the ‘golf ball’ on Lowther Hill (725m) for coffee. 

As we prepared to move off, light rain began to fall, so we held back for a few minutes and surveyed the darkening skies above us. He, who must be obeyed, then decided it was time to set off towards Green Lowther (732m). As we started along the tarmac road that joins the two tops the heavens opened, with horizontal rain battering us, and the low cloud making it impossible to see more than a few metres in any direction. To make matters worse for Paul, he had forgotten to pack a waterproof jacket, but, with Davie’s help, managed to wrap a large poly bag round himself. Very dapper! The rain was so heavy that boots we thought were waterproof turned out not to be, and those wearing shorts suffered because the rain just ran down their legs and into their socks and feet. Thoughts turned back to the day on the Merrick, but at least the rain was warm then. It had been too wet even for cameras to be brought out to get a real picture of the situation.

We turned in to the building at Green Trough for shelter and considered our situation. We were drookit, our feet were squelching in our boots, and we had still to make Green Lowther and get down the hill over wet and slippy grass and heather. The consensus was that we retrace our steps and go back down the road and so, once the rain calmed down, we set off towards the golf ball and back down the road.

We couldn’t see the golf ball as we passed It, but five minutes later the skies began to clear and although we walked to a symphony of squelching feet, our clothes began to dry off, and by the time we were back at the cars, it had turned in to a lovely warm afternoon. The lucky ones had a full change of clothing, the unlucky had to make do with what they had, but, as we sat and took our lunch, our mood lifted in the warmth of the sun. Midsummer’s day in Scotland!

We had covered seven and a half miles in just under three hours, got soaked, got dried, got fed, and were now ready for FRT in the Wanlockhead Inn where we spent a reflective hour. On a previous occasion we had sampled their own beer ‘1531, ale with altitude’ but the lad said that it would not be available until tomorrow as they didn’t brew as much now but, since there was a music festival on at the weekend, it was worth their while to brew some. Davie was disappointed but we said he could drive himself down tomorrow and get some! Some suggested he came down on his trike!

Despite the rain, this was a good and memorable day out.