Glenapp to Cairnryan Reccie. April 2013

Stena on their way to Ireland

and P&O  returning.

This sheep has seen better days.

The teacher and Spike.

7.10AM bus today from Ayr to Girvan to meet the teacher who then drove his car to Cairnryan where we caught the bus with Spike already on it back to Glenapp Church to start our 6 mile walk.This was a reccie for the Newton Stewart walking festival that  starts next week where the teacher and myself are leading the Elsie Mackay walk. On the day we will start at Finnart's Bay but today we decided just to go from the church. On the most clear sunny warm morning we climbed up the path onto Laight Moor which then gave us some wonderful views across Loch Ryan and out into the Irish Sea. It was not very well sign posted and as we all know the area well we tried a couple of different ways which would be best underfoot for a large group. Lunch stop was at the dis- used gun site left over from the second world war.A steep track then took us back down to the car park where we had parked earlier in the day. Lovely walk on a pleasant warm day ,let's hope the sun  shines  a week on Saturday for our walkers.

South Ayrshire Ramblers. Galston circular. April 2013

Lovely view out to Arran.

Unusual place for a coffee stop!

Cheer up!!

One of many stops to admire the views.

Lots of new born calfs in this field.

Today's group at Gallowlaw Cairn

I told the leader "head up not chest out"

Yesterday Saturday April 27th I travelled by bus to Galston where I met up with South Ayrshire Ramblers for a 9 mile circular walk in the hills above the town. 26 of us left from the car park at Barr Castle on a lovely sunny morning firstly to a woodland walk alongside the Haymouth Burn taking us up to a garden centre at Threepwood where we had a wee coffee stop. Once suitably refreshed we did some road walking towards the Darvel TV transmitter to get to our next goal which was a memorial cairn to the covenanters at Gallowlaw . One or two fences had to be negotiated so that we could avoid cattle who  were grazing in the fields. After a lunch stop at the cairn it was a nice pleasant road walk back down to the town passing  many large houses with their stables in the garden  for the childrens horses. Thanks to the leader for a very interesting and informative walk, it is always a pleasure to join this happy group.

Byne and Grey Hills from Girvan April2013

A dipper



Me and spike on Grey Hill.(297M)

Spike and the teacher on Byne Hill.(214M)

Today Thursday April 25th exactly 5 months after my wee accident I met spike and the teacher at Girvan harbour on a grey mainly dry morning. This was going to be a 10 mile test of stamina up Byne Hill over Fell onto Grey Hill and return via Drumfairn. Once we had passed Shalloch Park the weather started to improve and when we reached Grey Hill the sun was trying to make an appearance. The going was rough in places with me just taking my time much to the amusement of spike who has only ever walked with me when I was fully fit. Thanks for his patience today we returned safely back to Girvan in glorious sunshine to end a super day in the hills which would probably be described as a full blown "B" walk . A wee footnote to Madam Vice who has been advising me on  each step of the way on my road to recovery, I used two poles for the whole walk !!
Sorry forgot to mention a wonderful sighting of a dipper as we crossed the Myoch Burn at the caravan site before we climbed Byne Hill . 

Barony Hill, Dailly. April 2013

The Skylark

Swallow

Wild Garlic

Wood Sorrel

Barony Hill (319M)

Today Tuesday April 23rd I met the teacher at Dailly to do an 8 mile circular walk to Barony Hill, one I have blogged several times before with various groups the most recent in March 2012 Today we left the village on a dry breezy morning with the threat of rain all around us but as we climbed it improved with the odd glimpse of sunshine. Nice easy path to the summit was followed by a reasonably steep descent but again as there was only the two of us I was able to take my time and go at my own pace. Lunch stop was at the edge of the forrest where we had a discussion on the various wild flowers that were now in full bloom and to be honest the one neither of identified correctly was wood sorrel and here we were sitting at the edge of a wood!!! Spring birds namely skylarks were seen  flying around us on the hillside.Returned to Dailly along the side of the River Girvan to complete the walk in 4 hours which we both decided was nearly as fast as we used to do it so my efforts at getting back to full fitness are starting to pay off. Let's hope so and I can start my return to rambling at all levels with the various groups in Ayrshire and Wigtownshire in the near future.

ADRC Straiton circular walk. April 2013

Group setting off from Straiton School.

Not many of this type of drinking fountain still exist.

My finishing point today.

Today 33 ramblers set off from Straiton on a fairly pleasant sunny morning to do an 8 mile walk on some of the hills around the village. I knew that I would not be able to complete the walk but had looked at the map and worked out a possible route for myself missing out monument hill. However we had only gone about 2 miles and already I was feeling the fairly fast pace set by this fit group of ramblers when I decided that I may hold them all back whilst I negotiated or should I say stumbled over the wet ground so decided to return on the path we had used since the village I carefully made my way back. Once onto hard roads the going was a lot easier and made my way to the village of Crosshill via Blairquan Castle where I caught a bus back to Ayr. My total walking distance was 8 miles and if you add that onto my last 2 recent walks a total of 24 miles has been covered in 7 days I just cannot do rough wet ground yet but that will come with time.

Maybole 8 mile circular. April 2013

Looking out to Maybole

Aye there is still life in the old boy yet.
 

Today Tuesday April 16th the teacher and I went round our normal 8 mile walk from Maybole. This was mainly for my benefit as this was the first time I have ventured  on some uneven surfaces which up till now have caused me the most problems. Thanks to the teacher he helped me over some tricky soft ground and also a couple of small streams which on a good day you just jump over and think nothing of it but today I was still building up my strength and also my confidence. Super walk on a sunny blustery day but at least it was a lot milder than it has been of late.

Cunninghame Ramblers. Darvel circular walk. April 2013

Darvel main street on a sunny morning.

Me with today's leader.

21 turned up today.

Memorial to one of Darvel's most famous sons.

Information boards are posted around the town.

Group being briefed by our leader.

Started with a good climb out of the town.

Still lots of snow lying in the gulleys.

We passed the road end.

and this was his schoolhouse.

Nice straight road back to town.

Lunch in the park.

Wild boars in Lanfine estate.

This year's young.

Snowdrops still flowering in mid-April!!

Hi everyone sorry there has not been much on the blog recently as I have been concentrating on sowing seeds for planting out when the weather turns warmer. Also I turned 65 last weekend , Anne organised a wee party to celebrate the event and our thanks to everyone who made food etc for making it a most memorable day.
  Yesterday SaturdayApril 13th I went by bus to Darvel via Kilmarnock to meet Cunninghame Ramblers who were doing an 8 mile walk split into two parts. As this was my first ramble since breaking my leg last November I felt this was an excellent one to start off with as we were mainly to be on hard even surfaces as I still have problems walking on uneven ground.21 of us  met at the car park in Ranoldcoup Road on a glorious sunny morning to be briefed on the proposed walk. The first part was to consist of 5 miles mainy on quiet country roads before returning to the town for a lunch stop  and then in the afternoon we would do another 3 miles through Lanfine Estate. Setting off along the main street we made our way up onto the hills south of the town .Lots of lambs were gamboling in the fields , many of the gulleys were still completely covered in snow reminding us all of the extremely recent bad weather. Stopping on a bridge over the Glen Water we had a wee coffee stop to allow me to catch up on all the gossip of the last few months when I was unable to get out.Arriving back in the town lunch was a very jovial stop in the local park before we went into the estate and did a further 3 miles finishing up on a road alongside the River Irvine which flows right down through the valley to the sea. My sincere thanks must go to our leader for all the work she put into planning today's walk and reading up on the local history of the area it was the perfect walk for me to break back into rambling on a fairly gentle note. Thanks also to everyone in the group who kept a watchful eye on me and kept asking if I was OK and they were not going too fast for. Changed days for me bringing up the rear of a walking group and but as each week passes I am getting stronger and look forward to the day I am back up at the front with the Kilmarnock Rocket and all the usual front runners.Thanks to you all for making my day so enjoyable.