Prestwick to Troon and Curry 28th October

Alan, Alan McQ, Allan, Davie C, Davie Mc, Dougie, Graham, Gus, Jimmy, Johnny, Malcolm, Paul, Peter, Rex, Robert

The Walk

The aftermath of storm Boelo was evident as we assembled at the car park beyond Kidz Play in Prestwick. Lots of debris littered the adjacent car parks and there was severe damage to the promenade nearer the town, but where we parked was relatively unscathed. There was still a wind blowing but nothing like the weekend, the sea was choppy, but overhead was fine as we set off towards the caravan park and the Pow Burn.

As we took the path beyond the caravans there was a scene of devastation as the debris washed up covered the path making the going difficult and had us wondering who had the responsibility to clear this up and when might this happen. Probably not a high-priority matter but needs to be done. The saddest part was seeing all the plastics that had been washed up to litter what had been a pristine section of the walk. Once the beach was reached, the going was much improved and soon we were at the turn off to the Smugglers’ Trail. 

Decision time

 

Alan McQ, Graham, Jimmy, Paul and Rex decided to walk on whilst the remainder left the beach here and walked over the Royal Troon Golf Course to have coffee/lunch just over the railway. It was about twenty past eleven when they moved on along the cycle path, over Prestwick golf course and back to the cars having covered four and a half miles. Peter was left to await Jimmy’s return whilst the rest made for home.

On reaching the Lookout café in Troon, Jimmy turned back whilst the others went in and had a coffee and a roll before Paul walked on home and the others returned by the cycle path etc. covering nearly nine miles.

 

The Curry

Dougie had turned 75 years of age, and it was appropriate to celebrate this with a curry, with a difference. A new venue! With Katrina and her husband selling up and the new owners of the Jewel not yet having a drinks licence, Robert had booked the Taj in Kilmarnock. This proved to be a great choice as we had a room to ourselves, the service was slicker and the bill was very acceptable. Seventeen were present, the fifteen who were on the walk plus Billy and Kenny T, Dougie eventually managed to finish his speech after many interruptions (can you believe that?) and wee Davie read an amusing article from a newspaper which met with the Ooters approval before he was told where to stick it!

The evening was finished off with a nightcap in Wetherspoon’s, bringing to a close a really good night.

Happy Birthday, Dougie!

P.S. We hope that Jimmy has dried out by now. It was only a pint after all. And thanks to Robert for his organisational skills and his diplomacy (knowing Robert not sure that is the right word to use) in getting us a complimentary dram and a promise of another one at our Christmas night out.

Christmas Curry Wednesday 16th December

Taj in Kilmarnock has been booked for 7pm on Wednesday 16th December for our Christmas curry.

Arrangements for Wednesday 4th November

Falls of Clyde

Meet at Kirkfieldbank for the annual autumnal pilgrimage to the Falls of Clyde

Some images from the Prestwick to Troon walk

 

Dougie’s Curry

 The Taj Cafe in the middle of Kilmarnock to the right of M&S has now been booked for 7 p.m. on Wed 28th Oct. The Jewel failed to let me know about their failure to get an alcohol licence. 

Blairquhan, Straiton 21st October

 

Alan, Alan McQ, Allan, Davie Mc, Dougie, Gus, Jimmy, Paul, Peter, Rex, Robert

It was a dry, clear morning with not a breath of wind, as we met in Straiton for the walk to Blairquhan, a walk we had done earlier in the year in pouring rain. After we managed to extricate some of our members from the Buck tearoom, we got underway just after ten o’clock and made our way down the main street before turning left on to a path following a sign for the sign for Church Walk. This was a slightly different route than last time and meant Isla had less time on the road. The grass track led us on to a road which took us to the B741 opposite the road up to Blairquhan, the road down which some of us had returned the last time.

The pace was easy as we entered the estate with most taking the short detour to visit the Hunter Blairs’ graveyard whilst Alan, Allan and Dougie sauntered on up to the castle and continued towards the wee loch. They were soon caught up by the rest and all headed to the cabin for coffee/lunch, admiring the autumn colours as they did. There was some thought of turning back from there but, in the end, all followed Alan McQ down the track to see the wee waterfalls.

Alan, Allan and Davie decided to turn back whilst the rest walked on but, before very long, they had turned also and we were a group again, as much as we are ever a group on a walk, but before long some decided to take the riverside path which brings you out at the track heading up to the loch whilst a smaller group remained on the tarmac. Passing the castle again and going behind it at the request of the notices, we entered the walled garden for another brunch/lunch stop. It was about quarter to one by this time and, as had been forecast, there was some drops of rain starting, just after Robert had removed his wet weather gear, but fortunately the light shower came to nothing.

Leaving the estate this time, we, well, almost all, turned left over the bridge and found the path beside the Water of Girvan which took us over the field with the horses (last time we took this path on the way out) and eventually back to the cars in Straiton. Isla was with us as Alan had managed to contrive a makeshift lead using his walking stick, but there was no sign of her master. Davie and Gus had lost sight of the main group earlier and had continued straight on out of the estate down the road we had used in the morning and had reached the cars about ten minutes after the rest of us. As usual, there was the discussion about all keeping together on the walk, a discussion no doubt we will have many times in the future. Anyway, it was ten to two when the last arrived with the distance estimated to be a tad over seven miles for those who did all aspects of the walk.

We had got it dry and had had a good walk at a very sensible pace, but as we headed to Maybole and the High Society for FRT, the rain clouds were gathering. A good time was had in the pub, made even better by the astonishingly cheap prices, before making our way home in the rain.

 

Some images from the Blairquhan walk (Please excuse the quality - my camera decided to take videos today and I had to make screenshots.)

 

Arrangements for Wednesday 28th October

Prestwick to Troon

Meet at the carpark beyond the Kidzplay for walk to Troon and back.

Ooters Calendar 2027

I spoke to the guys on Wednesday’s walk regarding ordering a 2027 calendar. Could those who weren’t present at the Lauriston yesterday (14^th Oct) please let me know, one way or the other, by Friday 23^rd October whether you want one (or even more than one).

Robert and Katrina on her giving up the Jewel

 

Seamill to Portencross 14th October

Alan, Alan McQ, Alan W, Allan, Davie C, Davie Mc, Dougie, Graham, Gus, Jimmy, Malcolm, Rex, Robert

Given this was the week of the school holidays, all were present in plenty of time for the walk to Portencross as traffic was remarkably light. The wind was very strong as we left the car park near the Waterside Hotel but it was behind us as we were blown up the beach and then on to the grass track between the shore and the houses at which point we met Alan Watson (and Angus) coming towards us as pre-arranged on the Monday walk. Fortunately, Isla didn’t seem to bother with the newcomer, and before long we were at the bridge over the burn at the Hydro and back on to the beach for a spell. The photos don’t really show the intensity of the wind and, even when we left the beach to join the path adjacent to the golf course, there was little shelter and at times our faces were getting attacked from wind-blown sand. No matter, we soon made the end of the path and were about to turn up to the Portencross Road when we briefly stopped to consider the options. Alan and Derval Davie decided to turn back from there whilst the rest walked on for another quarter of an hour to reach the castle and sought some shelter for coffee/lunch.

Setting off on the return leg at half past eleven we were now into the wind which made the going much harder and soon we were well strung out. On reaching the road up to the golf course clubhouse we decided to take this option and gain some shelter from the elements by going up to the main street and walking back to the cars along the pavement. Arriving in dribs and drabs from about quarter to one having done just over seven miles, we weren’t too far behind Alan and Davie and were surprised to learn when Jimmy arrived that Robert was struggling and needed someone to drive up the road and pick him up. Alan did the needful to find, in fact, that it was Gus who was struggling with his back problem with Robert acting as his minder. Both were given a lift back to the car park by which time Gus had recovered and was vertical again. Thanks to Alan for his compassion!

As we prepared to leave for FRT at the Lauriston wee Davie managed to head-butt Alan’s tailgate as it was closing (you can take the boy out of Glasgow but ….), but luckily there was no damage to Alan’s car! Davie, however, required a plaster when he got to the hotel and received, in true Ooters’ spirit, little sympathy. A pleasant hour was spent here as the rain began to fall but it had gone off by the time we had left.

A challenging day out given the wind, but enjoyable nonetheless!

He's normally plastered after a drink!

 

Some images from the Portencross walk