Carrick Hills Wednesday 13th April 2022

Some images of the walk in the Carrick Hills featuring Alan McQ, Davie C, Gus, Paul and Rex.

Carrick Hills 28 October

Alan, Allan, Davie C, Gus, Kenny T, Paul, Rex, Robert

It was raining persistently as we met at the Greenan car park and there was some discussion about the merits of doing the planned walk, but Robert was convinced that, according to the BBC, the rain would go off at 10 0’clock. Therefore we set off for Browncarrick Hill on the understanding that, if the weather did not improve, we would curtail the walk. Although wet. It was warm, and good progress was made along the beach and by the time Greenan Castle was reached the rain was off and by the time we turned off at Craig Tara, aka Butlitz, jackets were being dispensed with. At the top of the hill, just before the main road, we took time to admire the reversing skills of a workman who was manoeuvring a very large mobile home in preparation of it being loaded on to a transporter, no relation to Rex.

Before too long we had negotiated the main road and had turned off to the Carrick hills. Coffee was called for at one of our usual spots before the push to the top was made. Having reached the masts, it was decided to stop there for lunch before turning back, rather than going on to the trig point.

The return journey saw the weather closing in again with moisture in the atmosphere. Rather than continue past Craig Tara, as we sometimes do, we retraced our footsteps down to the beach and along to Greenan Castle where we were stymied by the high tide. No real problem though as we found the path which takes you up past the castle. This had to be negotiated carefully due to the muddy conditions but soon we were at the top and ready for the last part of the walk. By this time the rain was on for real and we were disappointed to note that there was not a path to take us down at the other side of the castle. The path took us on a wee diversion on to the road which led to the entrance to the car park.

The walk had taken four hours and we were glad we had stopped at the masts as, had we gone on to the top of the hill, we would have spent another half an hour in, what was now, seriously wet conditions. We graciously accepted Rex’s offer to return to his house to get changed in the dry.

Pool Competition

The standard is surely improving as all present reached the quarter-finals. After some keen competition, Davie and Rex reached the final. This proved to be a tense affair and it came down to who could sink the black. After some tactical play, Rex saw an opportunity but left the black hanging over a pocket. Davie ignored Robert’s advice about how to sink it and won the final to regain the title he won two years ago. If he wins it again he will get to keep the trophy!

Many thanks to Rex for hosting the event and for arranging the pies cooked a la King Alfred. Thanks also to Davie for getting the drinks and snacks. He said he was really enjoying his alcohol-free beer!!

Last year's winner, Gus, presents Davie with the trophy

Rex congratulates Davie

30 November Carrick Hill from Greenan Shore

Alan, Allan, Andy, Davie C, Davie Mc, Ian, Jimmy, Johnny, Paul, Peter, Rex & Robert

Given the weather of the last few days, especially yesterday when the monsoon hit, it is something of a minor miracle that we got for a walk at all today. Still, the morning was dry and, despite the forecast for more heavy rain later today, we did get for a walk.

Rex’s house was easy to find this morning for this being St. Andrew’s Day, a huge Saltire flew above his door. Despite his Aussie birth and upbringing, he has been here long enough to be a proud adopted Scot and was showing us how to celebrate our national day. But more of Rex’s celebrations later.

The plan was to walk to the top of Brown Carrick from Rex’s place in Alloway but given the predicted early afternoon rain, the decision was made cut the walk short and drive down to the shore at Greenan. While most of us found the correct car park one, who shall remain anonymous to save his embarrassment but for the sake of identification we will call Vadie Mc, found himself alone in the park nearer the millennium brig. By the time he had walked the half mile or so to join us we were changed into walking gear and were champing at the bit for the off.

Weel happit against a snell south-easterly, we set off along the shore towards Greenan Castle. The tide was on the flow but there was still sufficient sand for us to make it round the rocks under the castle. Birds by the hundred searched the weed on the litter line and prodded the sand closer to the water; the birders were in heaven. A pair of swans took to the wing, skimming over our heads, as we approached Craig Tara Caravan Park. Now, we would normally turn up through the caravan park but Jimmy and Ian had a ‘better’ suggestion; we would follow the route that they found the last time we were here – 8 December last year - and avoid much of the busy Dunure road.

We kept to the shore for a bit yet, turned in at the caravan park utility station and came on to its golf course. A friendly Yorkshire Terrier - is there really such a thing? – accompanied us across the golf course much to the frustration of its owner who stood and shouted long for it. Eventually we managed to chase it back towards her, but not until we had crossed the fairway to a gate on its far side. Now, with the dog heading back towards its owner, we came through the gate onto a steep and muddy track. So much for a ‘better’ route so far!

The track took us up to what Ian called ‘the llama field’. This was the field where the llamas were last December but here were none this December, only big, brown sheep and pale grey donkeys. Despite much ‘shooing’, it was the donkeys that decided to accompany us now. But that problem was solved when we came to the ford on the far side of the paddock and they decided to turn back. But now we had a different problem.

Not surprisingly given the recent rains the burn was in spate and the water was running deep and brown over the ford. The hydrophobes rebelled. A quick rethink was needed. We would now follow the burn across another field to find a track that would take us up to the Dunure road. This is what we did and found ourselves on the tarmac without too much effort. (Or too much miscalling of Ian and Jimmy.)

We bade farewell to Peter here for he had appointments to keep. He turned back towards Greenan while we crossed the Dunure road and took the minor one for Carrick Hills.

The climb of the road was a straightforward affair. We stopped on the lea of a bank for elevenses for the wind was now strengthening and we feared there would be little shelter further up the hill. And we were right. As we climbed, the wind grew fiercer. By the time we were on the final zigzags to the radio masts, we were battling into a ferocious gale, a gale that was proving tricky. On the zig it was in our faces threatening to push us back and on the zag it was on our backs hurrying us along. On the bends it was on the side threatening all sorts of other mischief. Yet, despite the wind, we all made it safely to the shelter of the shacks round the masts. And as a bonus, the rain had stayed away.

But we weren’t finished at the radio masts. We now left tarmac and took to the open hill. Surprisingly, the hill wasn’t nearly as wet as we expected it to be and the footing was easy. Not so the wind though. We butted into it across the open hill to the trig point marking the summit and stayed there just long enough for the record photo to be taken then turned tail and came back across the hill. With the wind on our backs, we made good time back to the shelter of the radio shacks. We lunched in the lea of the shacks.

The descent of the road was quicker than the ascent, especially for Jimmy who couldn’t control himself and sped past everybody only to wait for us on the flatter ground near the main road. And we kept to tarmac this time, coming past Heads of Ayr Farm with its exotic Zebu cattle in the field and back to Craig Tara. This time we did come through the caravans and back to the shore.

The tide was on the ebb again but was still pretty close to its high and some doubt we expressed as to whether we would be able to get round the rocks under Greenan Castle. These fears were increased when we had to climb and clamber down the first wee outcrop that we came to but they we allayed as we approached the castle and saw the extent of sand available to us. We would walk comfortably round.

Past the castle then and with only a few hundred yards to the cars the first spots of rain hit. We had been lucky with the day despite the wind on top.

For FRT today we repaired to Rex’s place where he had laid on not only the usual ale but, since it was St. Andrew's day, Scotch pies as well. Our thanks go to Rex for his hospitality. Next week we want fillet steaks.

5 March Carrick Hills from Alloway

Illness and family commitments reduced the group to four this morning but the healthy and non-committed four (not forgetting Holly, the dug) gathered at Rex’s place in Alloway. Not to be outdone by Johnny, Rex provided coffee and Anzac biscuits, a sweet cookie supposedly developed by the Anzacs at Gallipoli. Very good they were, but your correspondent couldn’t eat more than four or five at one sitting. Well done, Rex.

Rain met most of us on the way to Alloway but during coffee a brightness appeared in the sky. This brightness was to come and go for most of the day, the dryness interspersed with scudding rain showers but the brightening sky was sufficient at that time to stir us from our sloth and set us on our way in heartier mood.

Our way was through Rozelle Park where the granite sculptures were commented on, Rex’s comment on the ‘nose picker’ deemed very appropriate. Then it was into Bellisle Park. It’s an absolute rotten shame what is being allowed to happen to this park. Rex said that many of the animals from the children’s corner had been sold off. Davie showed us the boarded-up glasshouse that was once a main feature of the park and Jimmy wondered how long it would be before houses were built on the site. A depressing comment on our local authorities. Then the right bank of the Doon was taken towards The Millenium Bridge and the shore. Jimmy and Davie talked birds as we walked beside the river and the other two showed some kind of interest, especially Paul who used his binoculars occasionally. And Rex mentioned the black swan that frequented the river for a few years.

On the shore we met the strong south-westerly that whipped the drying sand along in mini sandstorms. How Holly coped with this sand-blasting is difficult to say - she seemed to ignore it - but at man height it stung the hands and face and made walking and observing wildlife difficult. Still, oystercatcher, redshank, ringed plover, dunlin and curlew were spotted, especially the large flock of curlew that took to the air at our approach near the caravans of Craig Tara.

We left the shore at Craig Tara and came up through the caravans to the Dunure road. We were to stay on Tarmac for the rest of the day. At the sign pointing out ‘Carrick Hills’ we left the Dunure road and took to the minor one climbing the hill. A large, new house in the ‘Grand Designs’ manner was examined, the opinions being positive. Then the road climbed steeply. A shallow gulley held the first primroses seen this year, a sign that spring might not be far way. And it was hoped by some that lunch would not be far away for hunger came calling on this part of the climb. A sheltered spot beside a line of beech trees was found where we could dine in relative comfort out of the strong wind. And at last came a rest for we had not stopped walking since Alloway. The sun appeared but this was closely followed by the rain, not particularly heavy rain but enough to make Paul don the waterproofs as a precaution.
After lunch the rain continued only for a few minutes but Paul was encouraged to keep his waterproofs on to keep the rain away. This was successful for the next time we were to see the rain we were nearly home. The trees were left behind and the hill opened out onto moorland.

The view also opened out but, in the present weather conditions, this was not as extensive as it might have been. Still it was admired as we climbed the service road to the radio mast. This was as far as most had been on the hill but the top was barely half a mile away and Rex was keen to go to there. So the road was left and the moor taken to. A wet patch cooled the road-hot feet but the top was gained without real incident. The view from the trig-point was limited by the rain skudding up the firth but the coast as far as Irvine was clear and landmarks of Ayr, Troon and Irvine were pointed out. But the wind was beginning to chill and a retreat from the top was in order.

The return was by way of a reverse of the outward journey, at least as far as Craig Tara. As we left the radio mast, Rex and Paul, fifty metres in front of the other two, spotted the hare. The other two thought it was a figment of imagination brought on by altitude but this was to be the highlight of the wildlife on the hill.

The pace was brisk but comfortable on the downward tarmac and it was kept brisk along the road to the outskirts of Doonfoot. The unfortunates being interviewed by the traffic polis were noted in the passing. At Doonfoot the old railway cycle path was reached and this was taken. This was an interesting part of the walk. Paul had not been here before but Jimmy and Davie remembered parts of it from the Auchincruive cycle that we did from Rex’s house last year. The single roe deer standing on the track some twenty metres away was seen by all before it disappeared into the undergrowth. The Doon was crossed on the old railway bridge and gave us a good view of the Auld Brig under the new road one. Then came the tunnel. Rex tried to convince Jimmy and Davie that we had come through it on the afore mentioned cycle but neither of the pair could remember it. Who’s getting senile? Rex or Jimmy or Davie? Or all three, perhaps.

The streets of Alloway, past Burns Cottage, took us back to Rex’s place, the whole return journey being done without a halt. A fairly long walk (17K+) and another good one despite the weather.
Beered at Rex’s.