Cumnock Circular 10 January

Allan, Davie C, Davie Mc, Gus, Hugh, Jimmy, Johnny, Paul, Rex, Robert

The weather was much calmer than it was a fortnight ago when we met in the same car park in Cumnock for the day’s walk. After the bright, but cold, past few days it was overcast with the temperature just above freezing. Good walking conditions though. Jimmy led us across the path through the new playing fields to the bridge over the Lugar and on to the riverside trail which we followed to the grounds of Dumfries House. Coffee was taken at the rotunda, sadly locked, but with enough external seating to accommodate us.

Just after eleven o’clock saw us cross the Chinese Bridge and take a right up the steps and on to the path which took us to the entrance road into the estate, a road we followed up to the main road, the A70.

Now, when they same that auld age disnae come itsel’, they might be right, as our guide had a senior moment and took us down to the right before realising after ten minutes that we should have gone left. We weren’t too sore on him, as we soon retraced our steps and continued towards Cumnock until we turned right on to Station Avenue which we followed relentlessly upwards until the old estate station was reached. It had been years since most of us had been here and we were reminded that the last time we had come this way the snow was thick on the ground. Anyway, after a short view stop, we continued on this road until we came to Skares Road. Turning left and we would have been back in Cumnock in jig-time, but we turned right and headed past what remains of Garrallan school (where Derval Davie’s dad attended) before taking a left and stopping for lunch at the side of the road.

It was about half-past twelve when we moved on, taking a left on to Cairn Road, and continuing down to Cumnock. Unfortunately, the road back into Cumnock was marred with litter and bigger deposits of fly-tipping, a topic we have covered many times in the past. However, we crossed the bridge over the bypass and took a left into ‘the Glens’ housing estate, where we stopped to be informed that the flat we were looking at was where Davie was born, and the one across the road was where Jimmy was born. No blue plaques on display to commemorate these momentous events, but we look forward to future walks when the twosome can take us take us to places where further important events in their development took place. Well, maybe not!

We eventually came out at Hearth Road, across from Aldi, and it was just a short walk back to the cars. As said before, the weather had been overcast and we had encountered some moisture, more like low cloud than actual rain, but all in all it had been a good day out having covered eight miles in three and a quarter hours. FRT was taken in a very quiet Black Bull in Mauchline where we were very well received and supplied with sausage rolls and biscuits. Hospitality like that deserves to be rewarded. We will be back!