Ness Glen 1 November

Alan, Allan, Davie C, Davie Mc, Dougie, Graham, Gus, Hugh, Jimmy, Paul, Rex

It was raining, but not too heavily, as we assembled at the car park next to the football ground in Dalmellington and, with a poor forecast, all agreed to curtail the proposed figure of eight Ness Glen walk. The plan was to motor up to the Roundhouse at Loch Doon and simply do the Ness Glen part, and by five past ten we were kitted out with our wet weather gear and had started heading up into the woods.

The rain went off and it became a very pleasant autumnal morning, so there were mutterings about doing a bit more as we progressed at a very sensible pace (unusual for the Ooters) along the path and noticing the new boardwalks that were being installed. The colours were excellent and many a photograph was taken as we reached the highest point of the trail, a point at which the decision was made to veer off to the left and go up to Fort Carrick. Unfortunately, Hugh and Graham, who had been in front didn’t get the message and they continued down to the bridge at the start of the glen. The main party took stock at the fort and then made their way down, not going round to see the remains of the Dark Sky Observatory, towards the road  from Graigengillan. One obstacle was in the way ie a locked gate, but there was a gap in the adjoining fence which some tackled more elegantly than others!

 

Having arrived at the bridge and becoming eleven again, we crossed over and took coffee whilst plans were made for yet another wee extension as the weather was fine. Wee Davie and Alan decided to make their way gingerly up the glen whilst the rest continued down the track in the direction of Bellsbank but soon cut off to the left and crossed the old bridge, a new bridge to most of us, over the river which took us nicely on to the tarmac up to Craigengillan. From there we retraced our earlier steps down to the gorge.

 

Extreme care had to be taken going up the path beside the water as, although it looked great with it being a carpet of russet and gold leaves, it was slippy and many of the stones we were walking on were covered. No matter, the glen and its majesty were safely negotiated and we were all sitting down to lunch by twenty-five past twelve. Most had gone out to the outcrop at the loch for their pieces whilst the last to arrive sat down at the benches at the Roundhouse.

We had covered about six miles in two hours twenty minutes and had really won a watch with our weather, only experiencing a couple of, light showers and enjoying better than expected underfoot conditions.

FRT was taken at the Dalmellington Inn where a convivial time was had, albeit disappointing those who wanted a coffee or a tea. The barmaid couldn’t provide those. Ah, gone are the days when you got a coffee and a biscuit!

This had turned out to be a very decent day out. As we left the pub it was chucking it down!