Cunninghame Ramblers. Greenock and Kelly cuts. July 2013

Title of today's walk

Wemyss Bay Victorian railway station

Walk started at this unusually named station

Climbing up the hill with the Clyde in the background.

A wee break for an ice cream

One of the many excellent paths.

Tortoiseshell butterfly

Today's group.

Kilmarnock rocket was the leader.

Yesterday 11 ramblers from Cunninghame group met  at Wemyss Bay railway station to take the train to Drumfochar to the start of our 11 mile walk along what is known as theGreenock and Kelly water cuts. These are manmade waterways constructed last century to take water from Loch Thom to the town of Greenock and surrounding areas.On a lovely clear warm morning we made our way up from the station to the first cut which took us 5 miles along excellent paths past Loch Fyne and the Holy Loch to Cornalees visitor centre where we took a break for an ice cream It was here our resident lepidopterist (I had to look it up too) spotted some tortoiseshell butterflies plus another one that I cannot remeber it's name.. Now we were on the Kelly cut and after another 6 miles arrived back in Wemyss Bay after a super day in the North Ayrshire hills. Thanks must go to the Kilmarnock Rocket for organising the day and travel arrangements. Mrs Rocket  who had joined us today managed to slow him down a wee bit so that for once we were able to enjoy his company!!

Ayr and District ramblers.Forth and Clyde canal. July 2013

Arriving at Buchanan Street bus station.

Then onto the Glasgow subway.

Murals at Kelvinbridge.

Site of the old North Woodside Flint Mill

complete with mill wheels.

Known as Maryhill Barracks.

Maryhill locks.

Ideal place for a coffee stop

The farmer enjoying the warm sunshine

so were the architect and local botanist.

We passed under the Glasgow airport flight path.

Today's unusually shaped route map.

The ladies of the group enjoy a well earned rest.

These swans had 8 cygnets to look after.

The ferry plied it's route for over 100 years.

This bridge was raised

to let the weed cutter through

and it's big brother.

Today's group at a lock gate.

Our leader on his bike!!

One of our male members suggested to the females in our group they may wish to avail themselves of the above services, he was last seen heading for the canal!!

Yesterday ADRC headed off to Glasgow on theX77 bus from Ayr to connect with Glasgow Subwayto Kelvinbridge in the West end of the city for an 11 mile walk on theForth and Clyde Canal to Bowling. 15 of us first of all walked along the banks of the River Kelvin passed the site of the North Woodside Flint Mill to join the canal at Maryhill Locks From here we headed west passedTemple gasometere .Blairdardie ,Knightswood and Drumchapel before arriving at Clydebank for a well deserved lunch break taken in the warm afternoon sunshine. Now it was only 4 miles left until we reached Bowling with it's sea lock to allow vessels to pass safely through and into the Firth of Clyde.The walk was lead with military precision by the group's architect who had put an enormous amount of effort into the planning of this linear walk reminding us all periodically that we were 4 minutes behind schedule and this would be deducted from the planned rest breaks. We all arrived in Bowling on schedule to catch a bus back to the city to make our connection  to Ayr to end a wonderful day out to an area we do not make the most of considering it is not that far away for us to travel to.

Wigtownshire Ramblers. Maidens to Dunure. July 2013

Starting out on the Maidens shore.

Climbing up into Culzean estate.

"John Wayne" joined us today.

Someone always gets a stone in their boot!!

Lunch stop at Croy shore.

A really cheery group today.

Our two leaders.

I always save the best for last!!!!!

As I am involved in assisting with the press report for yesterday's walk I will use it as the text for this blog,

On Saturday July 20^th 20 ramblers headed off to the quaint fishing village of MaSouth Ayrshire to do a 9 mile walk to Dunure along parts of the Ayrshire Coastal path. Once cars had been organised at both ends of this linear walk the group first walked along the sundrenched shore to a path that was to take them up onto a cliff walkway with it’s panoramic views across the Firth Of Clyde to the island of Arran and beyond. We now entered the grounds of Culzean Castle estate passing the swan pond with all its wildlife enjoying basking in the good weather. Arriving at the castle the leader gave us a brief history of its construction dating back to 1759 and the various members of the Kennedy family who had lived there,it was also pointed out that the ex American presidet Eisenhower also had an apartment gifted to him at the end of the second World War.Culzean also had it’s own gas facility manufacturing fuel for the castle and also some of the surrounding area. Now we had the most pleasant 3 mile walk along the shore to Croy where lots of families were enjoying the fine weather sunbathing and paddling in the sea.Stopping here for a very welcome lunch stop everyone enjoyed the scenery with the leader pointing out various local landmarks notably the “Electric Brae” which is an optical illusion best viewed from a distance to appreciate this very unusual phenomenon. The last part of our walk took us up a small hillside to paths around farm fields which have been left fallow to allow walkers to pass safely through without damaging the crops. Arriving at Dunure Castle time was spent exploring this 13^th century ruin before adjourning to the local tearoom for fresh scones and tea. The group expressed their appreciation to the leader for an excellent walk on a very pleasant warm summers day.

Cunninghame ramblers. Mid week walk at Straiton. July 2013

We filled the small car park

Preparing for the "off"

Some of the fine houses in the village.

The falls were nearly dry today.

One of many  wood carvings in the forest.

Coffee in a farmer's field.

Scaling the fences.

Today's large group.

The leader.

Yesterday Wednesday I took the bus to Straiton to meet the Cunninghame Ramblers who were doing a couple of the low level walks around the village.24 of us met in the local car park on a very warm sunny morning and after donning loads of suncream we made our way on the first walk which is known locally as "Lady Hunter -Blair ". It follows a well laid out path to some water falls on the Lambdbughty Burn (don't ask me to pronounce the name) which today due to the recent dry spell were not really flowing to ant effect. Re -tracing our steps we then crossed the River Girvan for a pleasant meander through some forest until we came to a bridge which we made our lunch stop. One of the group even went for a wee paddle in the water to cool his feet down, others were more sensible! Arriving back at the cars having completed 7 miles in perfect conditions we all agreed it was the ideal walk to compliment the weather. Thanks again to the leader and the group for a splendid day out.

ADRC Loch Doon circular . July 2013.

Leaders briefing

Climbing Craigmawhannal. (357M)

Friphorum Augustifolium (bog cotton)

Digitaus Purpurea (foxglove)

Coffee break

"what's wrong with my legs?"

Large gorse bush growing in the middle of the forest.

10 seconds ago she was asleep.

Our leader helped to build this bridge.

Able to withstand the weight of today's group.

Today Sunday July 7th on a lovely warm clear sunny morning 16 of us left from the forest drive car park at the southerly end of Loch Doon to climb Craigmawhannel (357M). Our leader, in an earlier life worked with the forestry commission so he had a lot of knowledge of the area and even assisted with the building of a walkers bridge over a small river.This was a short 6 mile walk as it was fairly warm and most of the group also wanted to be home sharp to watch Andy Murray play tennis in the final at Wimbeldon. (HE WON!!) Once we were on the summit lots of the surrounding hills came into view which had us all guessing the various names. A pleasant lunch stop beside a stream was enjoyed by all with a short forest walk back to the cars to end this day out in a lovely part of South Ayrshire. Many thanks to the leader who had lots of wee stories to tell about life as forester in this area.