11 October - River Ayr walk

Tumbin’ broon, the burn comes doon,

And roars frae bank tae brae,

And bird and beast in covert rest,

And spend the heartless day.

For the third week in a row the weather gods conspired against us. The deluge of the night continued into the day and left us with a torrent of rain at our rendezvous in Sorn. Therefore, our plans for the day – Blacksidend Hill -  were abandoned in favour of a lower level walk along the banks of the River Ayr from Sorn to as far as we thought sensible. We have covered this walk so many times that it needs no further description except to say that it was wet and we have never seen the river so high on this stretch. Over the old brig we went following the River Ayr Way.

We thought we had nearly lost Jimmy here. He stopped to photograph the river at the old brig and the branch he was using as support as he clambered down the bank gave way and we thought we would have to recover his body from the river at Ayr harbour. But the benefit of being a short-arse with a low centre of gravity meant that he regained his balance, took his picture and re-joined us none the worse for his experience.

The rest of the walk was uneventful but wet and we plodded on downstream towards Catrine with only the occasional halt to photograph the river in spate. The water was curling back on itself as it tried fall over the dam at Catrine and this afforded another stop for pictures before we plodded soggily along.  Some suggestion was made for coffee and cake in the Cotton Trail in Catrine and, given the conditions this was gratefully accepted by all. Well nearly all for Davie Mc, thinking the dog would not be welcome (erroneously as it happens), decided to walk on a bit further. Oh, how the warmth and the dry of that tearoom was welcomed and fairly cheered us up and our thanks must go to Eddie and his staff for making us feel welcome.

But all good things must come to an end and we were soon back out in the rain where we were joined by Davie and Holly. The decision, sensible it seems now, was to return to Sorn by the same route and this we did but with fewer picture stops this time.

We returned to the cars before the noon bells had chimed and in fact some of us were taking FRT in the Black Bull in Mauchline before this. The Black Bull is rapidly becoming a favourite howff of ours and is well on its way to becoming our pub of the year for the hospitality extended to us. We will be back.

Distance? Not far but far enough in the downpour.

Pics by Davie

Catrine to the Haugh and back 14 Sep 2017

Present: Jim, Ian, Paul, Jimmy, Gus, Peter, Dougie, Robert, Davie M, Rex, Kenny R, Kenny T

For the second time our planned traverse of the Four Tops at Glenafton had to be postponed because of the prospect of heavy rain. As it turned out, there was only one shower, albeit extremely heavy, during our walk from the old bank car park opposite Peter's house to the Haugh at Mauchline and back.
We did the wee loop through the wood that runs parallel to the road before heading past Kingencleuch Farm and down to the river just east of the Haugh. The path was in a frightful state due to the amount of rain that had fallen; indeed it was in the worst condition your scribe has ever seen in decades of walking in this area.
Lunch was taken under the Ballochmyle Viaduct with Davie mentioning that if you visit Kelvingrove Art Gallery in Glasgow you will see a fair-sized painting of the viaduct. This painting was commissioned by the Glasgow and South West Railway Company to celebrate the viaduct's opening in 1850, it having the longest single masonry arch in the world at that time.
We arrived back at the cars roughly three hours 15 minutes after we had set out.
FRT was as is our wont taken at the Black Bull in  Mauchline where there was plenty of the usual gay banter. Sincere thanks go to the barmaid for serving up pizzas which disappeared like snaw aff a dyke.

Sorn to Kingencleugh - Kenny R's photos

Sorn to Kingencleugh 24 February

Alan, Allan, Davie C, Davie Mc, Ian, Jim, Johnny, Kenny R, Kenny T, Malcolm, Paul, Peter, Robert

 The morning was cold with a light frost but disappointingly dull overhead as we met at Sorn. A decision was made to leave Blacksidend for better overhead and underfoot conditions and so we set off back up the main road before heading towards the war memorial at Catrine. I say we, but Peter who had joined us at Sorn, had left by his car saying he had business to attend to. As we paused at the memorial Peter reappeared and joined us for the walk up to the bridge at Howford where, as tradition dictatates, we took coffee whilst ‘admiring’ the graffiti on the bridge.

Having made our way down to the old bridge and up the road to our cut-off point for the Ballochmyle Viaduct, Peter suggested a different low-level route to the viaduct. Johnny, Kenny T and Jim joined him, whilst the rest took the easier path up to the structure. The main group waited, and waited, for Peter’s party, and eventually got fed up and decided to continue, but a few minutes later, compassion got the better of us and we stopped whilst Malcolm made contact by phone. They were only a few minutes away so we waited and let them catch up after their ‘interesting’ excursion. Peter then turned back to see to his business and we weren’t to see him again.

You tak the low road, we'll tak the high road!

Peter's deviation from the high road.  A fine view of the viaduct.

Deciding not to go all the way up to the Haugh, we made our way up to Kingencleugh, where, as tradition now also dictates, we took lunch on the railway steps. Making our way back to Howford by the path adjacent to the main road, we then retraced our steps back to Catrine. Having witnessed some dippers, Robert saw a wee bird with a yellow breast and asked its name. Not being satisfied by Hughie, Kenny sensibly said it was a grey wagtail. Robert was not convinced and so the discussion continued. Where is Jimmy when you need him anyway?
From Catrine we took the route up past the Voes and along the River Ayr walk back to Sorn. Almost exactly four hours from start to finish. We had encountered some short sleety rain at times but generally couldn’t complain about the conditions today.
FRT was taken at the Black Bull in Mauchline where Jim produced a picture of a grey wagtail on his phone, complete with yellow breast. Anyone for humble pie?

It was suggested that we would abandon next week’s walk if Jimmy was still no weel, in favour of us visiting him for the day. We would arrive at Jimmy’s about 9am and would be happy to accept his bacon rolls and coffee, although sliced sausage would be an option for some and Jim’s dietary requirements would need to be taken into account. We would settle for some nibbles and a few beers up to lunchtime when soup followed by pie and beans would suffice along with a couple of bottles of Jimmy’s best malt whisky. Aiming to leave about three o’clock, we were sure this would perk Jimmy up i.e. he would feel a thousand times better once we had left. We’re keeping our options open Jimmy, but maybe you’ll now have a miraculous recovery before next week. All the best!

Sorn, Catrine and beyond 26 August

Allan, Davie C, Davie Mc, Gus, Johnny, Malcolm, Paul, Rex, Robert

The rain had been pelting down as we made our way to the meeting point in Sorn for the scheduled Blacksidend walk, but, given the conditions, a decision was soon made to postpone this in favour of a shorter walk up to Catrine and back. Judith, aka Paul, proclaimed that the rain would soon pass, but once a decision is made, it is made. An hour out and an hour back, and home by lunchtime was the agreed agenda.

As we set off back up the tarmac towards the side road into Catrine, the rain intensified and we were glad we were not on the way up a hill. However, by the time we reached the war memorial, the conditions had eased considerably, and we were to be blessed with ideal overhead conditions for the rest of the day. Paul and his rainfall radar had been right.

Continuing on the road we entered Catrine via Chapel Brae and cut across at the Green before crossing the river and taking the familiar path towards the bridge at Howford. Coffee was taken at our ‘usual’ spot below the road bridge, and given the ever brightening sky, the decision was taken to continue on up to the Ballochmyle Viaduct and take stock there.

Having reached this engineering masterpiece, Davie Mc suggested proceeding a bit further and doing a wee loop which would bring us back to the bridge. Most thought that this meant we would loop back to the viaduct, but the path that we took led us up to Kingencleugh where lunch was taken on a series of steps leading down to the railway line. Malcolm, in particular, enjoyed the rest as he was struggling to get over a recent bout of illness. All good things come to an end though, and we took the side road down to the A76 where we found the path leading to the old road and back to the old bridge at Howford, hence completing the loop.

We retraced our steps back into Catrine stopping briefly at Peter’s house so that arrangements for the evening could be confirmed. Interestingly, we were in awe of the scaffolding that Peter had built up the side of a very tall tree to enable it to be cut down. G’on yersel’, Peter!

Continuing up past the voes, we took the riverside walk back to Sorn and arrived back a full four and a quarter hours after setting off.

Given the fact that we were going out at night, we did not indulge ourselves in FRT but headed home after what had been an unexpectedly good day out.

Twelve of us, the nine named above plus Peter, Ronnie and Jimmy, assembled at the Jewel in the Crown in Kilmarnock in the evening for a multiple celebration i.e. the tenth anniversary of the Ooters, Peter’s 70^th, and Paul’s 65^th. Peter had baked a carrot cake in celebration of the event and the restaurant contributed with a complimentary drink. The assembled company then adjourned to Wetherspoon’s where we enjoyed Paul’s hospitality, and then some more.

Good times indeed!

The rain had stopped by now

Sunshine indeed!

The plaques on the viaduct

Step brothers

Davie gives us a song, we soon moved on!

Sorn Castle in the sunshine

Sorn to Haugh 2 July

Allan, Davie C, Davie Mc, Gus, Jimmy, Malcolm, Paul, Peter, Rex, Robert

The War Memorial

The glorious sunshine of the last few days had gone leaving an overcast but warm morning as we met at Sorn Kirk. The route we took was the ‘high’ road i.e. we followed the road back towards Mauchline before cutting off to the left and making our way to the Catrine War Memorial where we took a few minutes to take in the view over Catrine and beyond. It was then down in to the town and across the river to join the River Ayr path. At this point Peter left us saying that he would see us later – but he never did.

Roy couldn't put Wayne's name on the team sheet but...

And then there were nine!

The route from here to the Howford Bridge is familiar to us and we were there in no time at all before settling down to coffee.  From there the path was followed down to the old bridge where the old road was taken up to the turn off for Ballochmyle Viaduct.  As we approached this engineering masterpiece we deviated down to the Fishers’ Tryst for a photo shoot. The viaduct is usually our lunch spot but it was too early today and we took the low path down by the river towards the Haugh. This brought back ‘happy’ memories for Paul who had had to negotiate this journey on a previous visit when the water level was much higher. The marks made by his finger nails are still visible on the rocky outcrop!

Haud yer belly in, Malcolm!

Jimmy, having spent some time researching the industrial archaeology of the area, was able to explain the tunnels and canals that were used in days gone by to supply water to power the mill at the Haugh and the sandstone cutting mill. See what we’ve been missing for the last number of weeks!

At the Haugh we turned left and continued up the road following it until we crossed the railway line and stopped for lunch just beyond. The sun was trying to break through at this point and, although the breeze was stiffening, it remained pleasantly warm.

Ryanair downgrades services from Prestwick

From here it was down to the Catrine House café and under the Howford Bridge once more before heading back to Catrine. This time the route to Sorn was past the Voes and Daldorch House School, at which point we took time to check out the works that were being done to renovate the weir system on the river, and onwards following the path back to our starting point.

The walk had taken us the best part of five hours and we were ready for FRT but, since our usual haunt at Poosie Nansie’s was closed after a motorist had mistaken it for a ‘Drive Thru’, we retreated to the Black Bull. This proved to be much more salubrious with the atmosphere being only slightly dulled by Andy’s demise at Wimbers. The banter turned to politics and became heated, to such an extent that Holly, who had been lying sleeping, woke up, looked at her master, decided she had heard it all before, and walked out of the pub. We all soon followed!

Another fine day out and, as a bonus, the walks for the next two weeks were decided i.e. Lochwinnoch and the Whangie.

The rain started as we left the pub!

5 February Sorn to The Haugh and back

Alan, Allan, Davie C, Davie Mc, Gus, Malcolm, Jimmy, Johnnie, Paul, Peter, Rex, Robert & Ronnie

Nature, it would seem, smiles on the Ooters. Despite the wet and windy winter, we have been blessed by reasonable weather for our Wednesday outings; in fact we haven’t had a wet Wednesday walk since the turn of the year. And, despite dire warnings from the Met Office of heavy rain and storm force winds for today, this was another walk that seems to prove that Nature smiles on the Ooters. It would also seem that none of us is afraid of a little rain and wind for regardless of the forecast, thirteen of us gathered in Sorn for our re-arranged walk – even if we had to wait for the tardy one from Cumnock. And the sun shone on us as we set off up the Mauchline road a little after our scheduled departure time of ten.

Sorn Castle looked a picture this morning perched on its rock above the River Ayr and bathed in warm morning sunlight. And this self-same morning sunlight was with us as we turned off the Mauchline road on to a byway that took us past Hillhead Farm to the Catrine War Memorial. It was interesting to note that among the names engraved there were two Italian ones, two Catrine folk of Italian extraction who fought in the Italian forces in WW1. Then we left the War memorial and dropped down the Chapel Brae into Catrine itself.

What a pleasant surprise awaited us in Catrine. Peter had arranged with his brother Edward that we could have coffee in his new café/restaurant. Though the café is not open to the public yet, Edward made us most welcome for it gave him a chance to try out his systems. We thank Edward for his hospitality and Peter for arranging this.

After coffee we found ourselves on the River Ayr Way. We would stay on it for a good while now. Over the ‘timmer brig’ we came, along past the sewage works, up the steps (Or what’s left of them!) and under the Howford Brig. Amazement and wonder spread though the group as we examined the graffiti on the span of the new brig – amazement as to how somebody had the nerve to climb up there and wonder as to why the so-and-sos wanted to do this in the first place.

There was no such graffiti on the old brig though, only a dirty great hole where some organisation or other was laying pipes. But we hadn’t time to look into this hole for long, we moved on up the slope away from the river again.

Again we turned off tarmac and came onto Lady Alexander’s Walk along the sandstone cliffs above the river. Somebody expressed an interest in seeing the cup and ring markings carved into the living rock and a group of us set off in search of these. Jimmy was for into the field but Davie Mc knew a better way. So we struggled up slippery banks, down into glaury holes, underneath branches and over dead tree stumps until we eventually got to the markings. Supposedly bronze-age markings, our pseudo-archaeologist disputes their authenticity but his argument is too long for these scribblings so you will need to ask him yourself. Jimmy was right; the best way to get to the markings is through the field and this is the way we came back to the River Ayr path.

While Peter and Jimmy went to show Ronnie the Fisherman’s Tryst, the rest of us walked on to a lunch spot underneath the span of the Ballochmyle viaduct. Some were for turning back at this point but Davie Mc suggested that it was only ten minutes to the path for Kingencleugh and it would be a better route back. We walked on. 

The company to the front missed the path for Kingencleugh and before we could correct their error, we found ourselves at The Haugh. Now we had a choice of two equally long routes back – right to Mauchline or left to Braehead Farm and Catrine house. Whichever we chose, we would be on tarmac for a while now. We opted for the left and climbed out of the valley onto the higher ground by the farm. A great bank of snowdrops below the farm house cheered us on the ascent from the valley to the higher ground around the farm. And it was on this higher ground that, for the first time today, the sun went and rain could be seen coming in from the south.

But the threat of rain didn’t worry us too much. We walked on past Turnerhill and Merkland. Then we found the River Ayr Way again at Catrine House tearoom. Now we would retrace our steps back to Catrine. Allan, who has not been fully fit since before Christmas, was suffering from distance and speed today so he opted to stop in Peter’s place while the rest of us walked on. And walk on we did, past the Voes over the river, under Daldorch and back to Sorn in double quick time.

While Johnnie returned to Catrine for Allan, the rest of us made directly for Poosie Nancy’s in Mauchline for FRT.

Once again Nature has smiled on the Ooters – another dry Wednesday walk despite the horrendous forecast from the Met Office

Sorn to Auchinleck House 25 April 12

Allan, Davie, Davie C, Ian, Paul, Peter, Rex, Holly and Nola

Seven Ooters met at the car park in Sorn for the proposed walk to Blacksidend and beyond but Peter, today’s leader, advised against this and recommended walking to the Auchinleck House Estate and back. Although the weather seemed to be reasonable for the day there were no serious complaints especially from the boys recently returned from Mosset. We look forward to seeing the blog about the sojourn to France but listening to the myriad of tales you get the impression that these guys really shouldn’t be let out on their own any more, and certainly not without their carers. It was hoped that by this time (Wednesday) Robert would have found his way back to his holiday home!

And so we set off from Sorn along the familiar River Ayr walk for Catrine. The morning was dry after some earlier light showers and we progressed at a sensible pace reaching Studio Peter at around 11 o’clock. Having been invited in, we partook of coffee and were shown round by our host. Well done, Peter!

Soon it was time to get on our way again with Holly and Nola leading the way. Holly was having a job staying calm as Nola kept pinching her stick. Justice was nearly done though when Nola followed Holly into the river and then struggled to get out. For a minute it looked as though Peter might have to wade in and pull her out but eventually she was coaxed to safety.

It was one of those days when the jackets were on , then off, then back on again for, although we had little rain, when we hit the wind it certainly had an edge to it. When we reached  Catrine House tearoom Davie suggested deviating to the Haugh but the consensus was to continue towards Auchinleck House. Just before reaching it we cut off down to our usual lunch stop at the ‘cave’ where we enjoyed our piece.

Climbing up from the ‘cave’ towards the ice house was extremely mucky and in fact the next part of the walk through the estate was mainly glaur. It had been noted that the recent horse trials, the course of which we had just passed through, had been cancelled due to the soft nature of the ground. Having reached firmer footing the eagle eyed amongst us noted a pheasant caught in what was probably a trap set for grey squirrels. Luckily help was at hand as Davie C decided to rescue the poor bird and with great dexterity managed to release the trap and pluck the pheasant to safety before releasing it into the adjoining field. Thankfully it seemed OK as it scuppered away- its progress being closely monitored by Nola. What is it they say Davie? A bird in the hand etc. A good job well done!

Next stop was the ruins of the old house before we completed our circle back to the main house itself where, as usual, we couldn’t quite remember the translation of the Latin inscription. (Thanks to Paul for supplying the same.)

It was now a matter of retracing our steps back to Sorn encountering on our way a fifteen minute shower and stopping to chat to a group of fellow walkers from Ayr whom we had met as we left Catrine earlier in the day. They seemed to have the right idea- walk up to the Sorn Inn, have lunch and then walk back to their cars at the tearoom.

The cars were reached at 3.25, almost a five and a half hour day. A good day out in good company.

FRT was taken at Poosie Nansie’s in Mauchline.