Wigtown ramblers to Grey Hill Girvan with a twist. May 2011

Steep climb up Byne Hill(214M)

View of Girvan from the top.

Lunch stop with Ailsa Craig in the background.

I used to own one of these(Austin A35)

Windy summit of Grey Hill(297M)

Today I joined my "mother group"(masonic term) Stranraer and Wigtownshire ramblers outing to Grey Hill by Girvan. This was an old walk for me but with a new twist in that our walk leader had worked out a completely different route from the normal one. Meeting at Girvan South car park on a blustery morning 20 ramblers set off up towards the familiar caravan park and then up the steep sides of Byne Hill but not onto the summit we went round it until we came to the monument to Colonel Archibald CB Craufurd of Ardmillan Estate who was killed in India in the 18th century.Older readers may also remember Ardmillan Castle which was burnt down in 1986 and is now the site of yet another caravan park.From the monument we took a bearing on Fell Hill and Ardwell Farm heading out towards Kilranny aerials which is also where the old road to Stranraer from Girvan passed through. Lunch was taken here with the wonderful views over a fairly choppy Firth of Clyde to Ailsa Craig and beyond. This is a hardy group of walkers no sooner had we finished lunch the walk leader got us all together and pointed out the trig point on top of Grey Hill(297M) which was our next goal we were to head straight up. No rest stops were taken on our way to the summit. It was blowing a hooly on the top and we soon made our way over the ridge to Fell Hill where a break was taken in behind some rocks to get some shelter from the winds.On our way back to Byne Hill we were being watched by a farmer on his quad bike with the usual sheepdog sitting on the pillion seat. Once we arrived back at ByneHill it is an easy descent down to the main A77 and along the shore back to the car park. Great walk and well recced by our leader it was a way around these hills I had never done before which gave the walk  a welcome twist as an alternative to the well trodden routes we are all familiar with. Thanks to all involved and hope to meet up with you all again in the near future.