Alan, Alan McQ, Allan, Davie C, Davie Mc, Graham, Gus, Hugh,
Jimmy, Malcolm, Paul, Rex
For the third week running the Kames walk was postponed in
favour of, today, doing the weel-kent walk from Sorn to the Ballochmyle viaduct.
The forecast was for improving weather and it was dry at the car park with the
forecast proving to be right as we encountered no rain with brightening and
warming conditions for the duration.
From our starting point we went left and then over the brig
before joining the path up and over the hill. Given the recent rain it was no
surprise that parts were running in water, but nothing serious, and we made
steady progress down to the riverside path and then into Catrine. We were
pleased to meet Peter here and have a blether but, having wished him well, we
pushed on along the River Ayr Way until we came to the first flight of steps.
Derval Davie considered turning back from here, but he felt OK and decided to
continue. The steps need a bit of TLC and with underfoot being slippy and muddy
in places, care had to be taken both here and on the other ups and downs of the
walk. Indeed, the climbs and descents seem to get harder as the years go on!
Nevertheless, we made our coffee stop under the Howford Bridge
where Kille Davie indicated he would be uncomfortable going back the way he had
come and, with discretion being the better part of valour, decided that he
would simply carry on up the old road and walk to Mauchline where he would get
us later. Malcolm, his minder, went with him.
The rest split into two groups for lunch with some settling
down at the viaduct whilst the rest went down to the Fishers’ Tryst. By the
time we moved on it was well after twelve and since we had separated for lunch,
and with little communication, the various groupings headed back on their own before
eventually coming together again at Catrine, Some wished the walk could end
there but we still had to get back to Sorn with the front runners getting back
at five to two and the back markers ten minutes later. Basically, four hours
for the eight miles we had covered in good overhead and not too bad underfoot
conditions. Isla, minus Davie, was one of the first back and thankfully was none the worse for last week's 'adventure'.
It was very pleasant getting a change of shirt at the cars as
by this time we were in warm sunshine, warm enough for us to sit outside at the
Black Bull in Mauchline. Malcolm and Davie had been there for over an hour having
got back to Mauchline at twenty-five to one, gone for a coffee, and then on to
the pub. As usual we were well looked after with sausage rolls and biscuits and
we can’t thank the bar staff enough for their hospitality. Jimmy took the opportunity here to sell copies of his new book 'Galloway From Above'. Well worth a look.
A grand day out, and as it happens. we could have done the
Kames walk after all, given the benign weather. We’ll get there sometime!
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