Allan, Davie Mc, Dougie, Graham, Gus, Hugh, Jimmy, Johnny, Paul, Rex, Robert
It had been raining heavily on the way to the A-Frame but, thankfully, it had gone off by the time we were ready to start our walk to Dumfries House. It was good to have Jimmy back with us and it was he and Davie who led us off. After a few minutes though we came to a halt when we discovered that Paul had gone back to his car as he had forgotten to put on his rucksack. Last week it was his boots, this week his rucksack! It comes to us all! By halfway to the rotunda, our coffee stop, the persistent drizzle had returned, but at least it wasn’t cold. On reaching there after forty minutes we discovered that a class of S.E.N. kids and their teachers/helpers were ensconced on the benches, but just as we were about to search for an alternative, they moved off leaving the seats for us – and no, Robert did not encourage them (see recent Prestwick to Troon walk). At least he said he didn’t.
Davie and Isla turned back at this point, leaving Jimmy to take us up through the estate to Dumfries House Lodges before coming down to skirt round the big house and back to the rotunda for lunch. It had been intended to visit the walled garden after lunch, but the rain was getting a bit heavier, so it was a no-brainer to simply make our way back to the cars in increasingly wet conditions.
We arrived back at about twenty to one having done five and a half miles and had then to find a way to get changed into dry clothes in the rain. Probably the hardest part of the outing. The Black Bull in Mauchline was very quiet when we arrived and, as usual, we got a good reception and were treated well with sausage rolls and biscuits provided. Thanks again, folks!
Despite the weather, we had enjoyed being out for the day. The weather dried up on our way home!
