Present: Derval Davie, Killie Davie, Bob, Gus, Dougie, Paul, Jimmy, Graham, Rex and Malcolm
The above 10 gathered at Kames Car Park in Muirkirk on what must be the sunniest morning the Ooters have had for a walk in 2024. Setting off just before 10, we made our way down to Tibbie's brig where Jimmy called for a photo shoot. Graham tried to explain to a bemused Davie how the fancy fencing beside the bench was made, using words like lasers and computers and such like. A conventicle-like gathering /halt was called here but eventually they were ushered to move on, so down the Garpel Burn we went, climbed the steps and on to the old railway. Some massive puddles were evident here, testimony to the amount of rain we have had recently.
Davie had warned the group that the path beyond Upper Wellwood farm might be impassable because of deep mud, as it had been when he tried to do the walk at the beginning of January. However it turned out to be not too bad although as you can see from Jimmy's photos the path was still in a state due to a JCB churning it up. Later it became obvious that the JCB had been used in the construction of a new brig opposite the ruins of Wellwood House. A very impressive bridge has been built, probably at some cost, where a simple wooden structure would have sufficed.
On we went along the river, with the usual coffee stop being called on the boardwalk. Once we had crossed the Cumnock road, a few of us took the time to admire the old heronry in the wee fir plantation here. The herons have not been seen here for a couple of years, but let's hope they return to nest this year.
On we went up the Dalfram Avenue road, crossed the Sorn road, and enjoyed the downhill stretch to Netherwood Farm. Lunch was taken with our backs to the stane-dyke revelling in the glorious sunshine.
Lunch over, we turned off down to Burnfoot Farm before crossing the Greenock Water brig and heading on to the forest roads. Since we knew that the bottom road at the lochans would be flooded, we headed past the Long Stone of Convention (without stopping to visit it) and emerged onto the Strathaven road. Davie turned left at Kirkburnhead Cottage to shouts of disappointment from some that Graham was going to miss out on the Lunky Hole. Rude comments about Vaseline, etc were made, but we promised Graham that the Lunky Hole would be exposed to him on our next visit here.
Soon we passed the old Muirkirk Parish Church with its interesting graveyard, turned along Crossflatt road and started the last leg of our almost 11 mile walk back to the carpark. It had taken 4 hours and 20 minutes, but it was a day to savour because of the sunny weather.
Paul headed for home while the rest of us enjoyed a good hour of banter in the Black Bull in Mauchline.
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