19 November Not the Lunky Hole Walk

Davie C, Davie Mc, Gus, Malcolm, Jimmy, Johnny, Paul & Rex

 

            This was not our slowest walk. Nor, did it appear to your scribe, to be the fastest. Time would tell. The idea was to meet at Kames in Muirkirk to do the Lunky Hole Walk (See July 2010 inter alia) but when we gathered there somebody had made a decision to do the walk anticlockwise instead of our clockwise direction. Did this cause confusion in the ranks? You bet it did.

            Still, on a bright, cool morning we set off along the River Ayr Way in the direction of Crossflats. The topic of conversation was Scotland’s superb victory over The Republic of Ireland in the Euro qualifiers and last night’s humiliation at the hands of the Auld Enemy. Such talk cheered and depressed us in equal measure as we made our way to Crossflats road.

            This wee road was exceptionally busy today with at least three vehicles coming and going. The driver of one of these vehicles tried to dognap Holly thinking she was an escaped farm collie until we put her right. With humble apologies she let us get on our way. Our way brought us to the main road and the Kirk Green.

            For some reason known only to those in front, we ignored our usual path through the woods to the Lunky Hole and kept to tarmac as far as the Stra’ven road. Now, he who knows such things suggested that due to the rains of the week-end, the track near the old mine workings may be flooded and impassable. But Davie Mc had a plan. We would keep to the Stra’ven road for a little longer and take a higher toad. This is what we did.

This road took us close to the Long Stone of Convention, an upright obelisk some four feet high set there to commemorate a conventicle held during the covenanting times. (See http://drmarkjardine.wordpress.com/2012/02/04/james-renwick-and-the-longstone-of-convention-near-muirkirk/) This sits some fifty metres from the road and just had to be visited and five minutes or so was spent there. Then, suitably impressed or underwhelmed accordingly, we retraced our steps to the road and continued our walk. Our usual road wasn’t flooded as we saw from the higher one but we were unconcerned for now we had seen something new.

We followed the road through the trees – which, incidentally, have been cropped since we were last here - and down to the bridge on the Greenock water near Burnfoot Farm. Here we stopped for coffee.

We stuck to tarmac for a while after coffee, firstly on the service road for Burnfoot and then on the unclassified road past Netherwood Farm and down to the Cumnock road. Here we picked up the River Ayr way and followed this for the rest of the day. The settling pond for the abandoned opencast has filled to the brim with water and we speculated on uses and possible hazards as we walked past. Then hunger called and we sat down for a bite in a wee dell overlooking the river for a bite.

After lunch we came past Adam’s grave (See Dane Love’s ‘The Covenanter Encyclopaedia’ for a full description) and on to the old railway. Another old railway brought us to the Garple and we followed this upstream to Tibbie’s Brig where once stood the inn of Isabel (Tibbie) Pagan (See http://www.robertburns.org/encyclopedia/PaganIsobelorTibbie1741-1821.699.shtml)

From Tibbie’s Brig we came to McAdam’s Cairn where John Loudoun McAdam had his British Tar Company’s works and down past the ruins of Springhill back to Kames.

I started by saying this was not our slowest walk. This was borne out by the time taken – three hours fifty minutes for what would normally be slightly longer than four hours. Yet it did not seem to be our fastest round. Perhaps the diversions managed to cut some time off. Who knows?

 

FRT was taken in what has now become our usual howff in Muirkirk, The Empire Bar where we were treated to sausage rolls and mushy peas by our landlady. Many thanks go to her for this act of generosity.

Some more pictures from Wednesday

A differnet view of Dalcairmie Linn

Picking the way carefully along Ness Glen

At Loch Doon Dam

Ness Glen 12 November

Allan, Davie C, Davie Mc, Gus, Jimmy, Johnny, Malcolm, Peter

The day was dull with the threat of rain as we set off from the car park near the football ground and headed up the road to enter  the Promised Land. Underfoot conditions promised to be muddy and slippy off tarmac and we were not to be disappointed. The first section of this well-documented route took us up the tarmac road on the far side of Bogton Loch and led us to our coffee stop at Dalcairnie Linn where Johnny’s water bottle was only saved from disappearing into the water by some nimble footwork by Allan – what is it they say? – Form is temporary but class is permanent!

From here it was up the brae (no rhubarb at this time of the year) and over the path to join the road up to Craigengillan and down again to the start of the Glen. The riverside path was treacherous in places given the recent rain and so eyes were constantly on where we were treading. Plenty of water was flowing down from the dam, but we’ve seen it worse.

Lunch was taken on the benches next to the wee shop at Loch Doon (the shop is closed for the season) but we didn’t delay too long as bodies were beginning to chill. The high path was chosen for the return journey, past the legendary Tracy’s bench, and down to cross the river at the bridge at the foot of the gorge. Although we had encountered some fine smir at times the weather conditions had been remarkably good considering the forecast earlier in the week but our luck ran out as we followed the road back up to our starting point. Fortunately the rain only lasted for ten minutes or so and the verdict was we had won a watch today.

FRT was taken at the Dalmellington Inn where a convivial hour was spent.

Some other images from Wednesday

Ardrossan to Irvine 5 November

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

Check out the details on the internet!

The main purpose of this walk was to take up Johnny’s offer of post-walk hospitality in the shape of lunch and beers so it was disappointing that he couldn’t do the walk himself due to him injuring his back lifting his grandson. He was happy enough though to stay behind and prepare the purvey.

It was good to have Andy back with us after a long lay-off and, as we assembled in Ardrossan, we were greeted by a beautiful, crisp morning, so much so that Davie the elder was in his shorts.

Sunny Ardrossan with Arran in the background

The route was the ‘usual’ one i.e.part of the Ayrshire Coastal Path, taking us down the seafront, past the memorial to those who died on HMS Dasher (check out the details through Google), continuing into Saltcoats and following the railway line into Stevenston. Crossing at the level crossing we continued on to the park at Ardeer where our resident ornithologist was temporarily stumped when asked to identify a duck. After some consideration he said that it was Brian. Brian apparently was a Muscovy duck, or maybe even a Muscovy duck cross (remember we were in North Ayrshire where mongrel ducks – as well as mongrel everything else – is the norm. This identification was not generally accepted by those who thought they knew better but Jimmy said it with such conviction!

The wee loch in Ardeer park

Soon we were heading out of Stevenston and up Dubbs Road towards Kilwinning where coffee was called for at our traditional stop at the entrance to the wee wildlife area. It was then a matter of following the road and path towards Irvine moor and eventually emerging at the Turf corner and continuing up Bank Street to Johnny’s.

Johnny did us proud with soup, bread, pies and nibbles as well as a selection of fine ales from the Nythva brewery. Alan also produced a home-made loaf from his rucksack to accompany lunch. Well done and thanks once again!

As well as the usual banter, plans were finalised (well as near finalised as you can get with this lot) for the Burns Supper at the end of January. After umpteen beers it was agreed that Jimmy would dress up as the haggis, Rex would be Grace (apparently as an Aussie he has some experience of this), Peter would be Holy Wullie, Davie the younger would do the Immoral Memory, Davie senior would address the glasses (that were holding him up), Allan would be Bam O’Shanter, Robert would toast the Ooters – slowly under a low heat- and Ronnie would accompany us on his ukulele and would learn how to play all twelve versions of ’The Star of Rabbie Burns’ at the same time!