Kilmarnock and/or lunch 12 February

Allan, Billy, Davie C, Davie Mc, Dougie, Gus, Hugh, Iain, Ian, Jimmy, Johnny, Kenny T, Rex, Robert

The weather gods were against us again, so the proposed ‘snowdrop walk’ was postponed with the alternative being walks around Kilmarnock and/or lunch in Wetherspoon’s.
Billy, Davie C, Gus and Hugh set off early and did a two and a half hour walk on the outskirts of Kilmarnock before arriving back at the Dean Park. 
Allan, Dougie, Iain, Johnny, Kenny T, Rex and Robert did a fifty-minute walk around Dean Park. It was dry as they set out but soon the weather turned to hail, sleet and snow, but there was enough protection from the trees to ensure that this was not too much of a problem. By the time the cars were reached there were clear blue skies. 
All, other than Hugh, then adjourned to Wetherspoon’s to be joined by Davie Mc, Ian and Jimmy for a very pleasant lunch and social gathering.
P.S. It was also Jimmy’s 71^st birthday. Congratulations, Jimmy!

Arrangements for Wed 19th Feb.

The walk and arrangements for the 12 th Feb will now apply for the 19th. Meet at 10.00.a.m. in the car park beside Castle Semple Loch for the Snowdrop walk . ( they may be past their best like most of us )

Revised arrangements for Wed 12 Feb.

Due to the wintery weather forecast it was decided to alter the walk in the interest of safety . ( B roads icy etc )  Meet in the Dean Castle  car park Kilmarnock at 11.00.a.m. The proposed walk around the park should take about an hour. Afterwards make your way to Weatherspoons for lunch and a small refreshment. Meet at Weatherspoons around about 12.30.p.m. Anyone not wishing to walk can go straight to the pub for 12.30.p.m.

Cumnock Circular 5 February

Alan, Allan, Billy, Dougie, Gus, Hugh, Iain, Jim, Jimmy, Johnny, Kenny T, Malcolm, Paul, Rex, Robert

The guys were champing at the bit to get started on a grey, but dry, morning, so started to make a move out of the car park at Cumnock swimming pool before 10 o’clock, only to be stopped in their tracks by a phone call to say that Kenny and Jim were on their way. Bang on the deadline the two arrived and we were on our way just after ten.

Jimmy led us up past Knockroon and then turned right on to the Lugar road (Rigg Road) for the first part of our walk. As we passed Blackstone Farm, famous for its Clydesdales, Jimmy could almost see into his house way down to the right of us, but onwards we pressed, on the assumption that we were headed for Lugar. Not so! Taking a left, we continued on a minor road until we came to a junction. Left for Auchinleck, right for Cronberry. We took a right and headed for Cronberry. Halfway along we found a spot for coffee, but we didn’t delay for too long as, although the walking conditions were very good, it wasn’t long before you felt the cold when you stopped moving.
We passed the entrance to Riverside Gardens (Cronberry), crossed the main road (A70), and walked down the verge for a quarter of a mile or so before stopping at the junction of another minor road to our left. ‘If we take this road it is four miles back to the cars. If we go down the main road it is about a mile and a half’. After some discussion we took the longer route, wondering whether the measurements were in the infamous ‘Jimmy miles’. This route took us past the remains of old opencasts before we stopped for lunch just before a wee road off to our right, which would be our next direction, despite it being closed due to works on the bridge over the burn.
No matter, lunch was taken and finished off with liquorice allsorts washed down with tequila (courtesy of Malcolm, just back from Mexico). This combination met with approval!
Anyway, to get back to the journey, there was no-one working on the bridge, despite the signs saying it would be out of action for six weeks, and we passed over it with no bother and turned right on to Glenmuir Water Road. If we had gone left, we would have ended up at Dalblair, our starting point for the Deil’s Back Door. This road took as past Logan and on to Muirkirk Road (the A70 again) for the last leg down into Cumnock and the cars.
We had done ten and a half miles in three and three-quarter hours and the constant walking on tarmac had taken its toll on the feet. Better that, however, than tramping through muck.
FRT was taken at the Black Bull in Mauchline where, yet again, we were treated to sausage rolls and nibbles. Thanks again to the barmaid!
Some weary limbs eventually made their way home after a good day out.
Thanks to Jimmy for this new walk for the Ooters!

Arrangements for Wed 12th Feb

Meet in the car park beside Castle Semple Loch ( Lochwinnoch) ,at 10.00a.m. The walk will be along the cycle path up to 'The folly ' and on to Howood and return. Sometimes known as the Snowdrop walk.
The Lowther Hills walk postponed until the following week.