Cunninghame ramblers. Day trip to Rothesay. July 2014

Leader telling us some of the local history of the town.

Start of climb up Canada Hill

This was the site of the 1960's Co-Op caravan site.

Looking up the Firth of Clyde from the golf course.

Trying to identify the far away lochs and mountains.

An extremely daunting par 3 hole.

Very colourful and beautifully kept gardens at Ardencraig

and again

Entering Mount Stuart estate by way of the back gate.

Shore Chapel.

Very impressive house

with its grand entrance.

our cheery group

Very occasionally I pop up on the blog!!

Our leader enjoying the sunshine.

Yesterday Tuesday July 29 I met with Cunninghame ramblers at Wemyss Bay station to catch the ferry to Rothesay on the beautiful Island of Bute.On a partly cloudy morning the small ferry carried us all over a very tranquil sea to the harbour situated in the town centre. From here 14 of us started the short climb up to the summit of Canada Hill with its magnificent views over to distant mountains and sea lochs. Unfortunately the best views to be had were from the fairways of the local golf course so 14 ramblers were seen to upset the normally smooth play of the more senior members of this course. Muttering the odd apology we headed off down a path away from the golfers until we arrived at the most impressive local authority gardens of Ardencraig. The colours of the flowers could only be described as awesome all tended by one guy who told us we had arrived at the best time of year to appreciate the plants which were all lit up in the sunshine,what a perfect place to have our lunch stop. Next we were all onto the local bus to take us for a visit to Mount Stuart House the home of the Marquess of Bute or better known as Johnnie Dumfries. This is a large estate of some 300 acres with the house as its centre piece.A pleasant stroll around the gardens before it was time to catch the bus back to the ferry to end a wonderful day which could not really be described as a ramble more a pleasant sociable day out with friends to one of Scotlands many beautiful islands.Thanks to our leader who had a wealth of knowledge and is obviously very passionate of the island,she made this one the most memorable days out with this group.

ADRC Annual outing to the Isalnd of Arran. July 2014

The ferry was full of tourists

Approaching Brodick.

Glenashdale Falls.

We made use of good quality forestry roads.

Using the felled logs as a perfect place for a break.

At a pre-historic burial chamber with standing stones.

Todays small group

I was todays leader.

Yesterday saturday July26 ADRC met at Ardrossan for the annual trip to the lovely Island of Arran off Scotlands west coast. After all the wonderful hot weather of  last week today was a wee bit cooler with some clouds. On arrival  in Brodick 8 of the group headed for the mountains to do the the 5 ben challenge,17 members headed over to the buddhist owned Holy Isle with the other 8 accompanying me on a walk from Whiting Bay over the hills to Lamlash.Once we all survived the journey on a very busy bus to our starting point we set off on a slow steady climb up to Glenashdale falls which due the lack of recent rain was not in full spate but still gave the group an opportunity to see one of the islands many waterfalls. Still climbing gradually we came to a stoney forestry road which takes you up behind the local golf course onto the highest point of the walk overlooking the Firth of Clyde where we stopped for our lunch break as the rain threatened to start as the forecast had mentioned for this afternoon. Our next stop was a burial chamber with standing stones which had lain in the undergrowth until it was discovered as recently as 1961.Once back in Lamlash the rain came on a bit heavier but fortunately we got most of our walk done in dry conditions. A pleasant sail home ended another great day out to one of my favourite islands in Scotland.

Cunninghame ramblers. West Kilbride to Fairlie via the Crosbie Hills. July 2014

It is the scarecrow festival in West Kilbride

A wee bit too much to drink perhaps?

Making our way up Glentane Hill (272M)

Conditions were a wee bit murky.

Time for a break

Mv Hubert Fedry docked at iron ore terminal

Fairlie castle (Still in good nick J.D.)

Todays fine group

with the leader.

Today Saturday July 19 Cunninghame ramblers met at West Kilbride (where it is the scarecrow week festival) railway station to walk the 6 miles to Fairlie over the Crosbie Hills. A bakers dozen were soon heading out of the village on a cloudy rather gloomy day with the promise of rain and also thunder later. With this in mind the leader had allowed for this poor forecast and she had decided we would do a gentle climb up Glentane Hill and miss out Crosbie hill which was completely shrouded in the low lying cloud. Once we were on the summit it was quite difficult in the conditions to identify the various land marks one associates with this area. Lunch was taken on Diamond hill before we ascended into Fairlie Glen to arrive at the railway station just as light rain started to come down. There is something quite satisfying to be sitting on a nice dry warm train as the rain starts and you have completed your walk in totally dry conditions. Thanks to our leader, we were all home in time to see the end of play at the golf Open. Another enjoyable day out in North Ayrshire.

Cunninghame ramblers. Ness Glen,Dalmellington. July 2014

Leaders briefing about our route

First break for a cuppa.

Making our way through the estate.

entering Ness Glen

The water was not in full spate today

The sun now made an appearance.

In the distance on top of the lone tree is the Ospreys nest

We met these two lovely horses enjoying their walk.

A fine figure of a man in his summer outfit!!

Outside the roundhouse tearoom

Our group at the one of the many bridges that cross the river Doon

Our leader today has a new nickname "traffic commisioner"

The Osprey.

 On Wednesday July 16 Cunninghame ramblers met at the community centre in Dalmellington to do a 6 mile walk through Ness Glen.16 of us set off in light drizzle which our leader informed us was a wee bit better conditions from his normal weather of pouring rain. The first part of our route was up a track with a steady climb to the entrance to Ness Glen. After a short break the drizzle went off and we entered a sunlit glen with its wonderful atmospheric noises as the river rushed by. The path was a wee bit slippy in places with the leader going on first to check the best way through so if anyone was going to fall in the water it would him, what a brave fellow he is.All safely through we arrived at Loch Doon where a pair of Ospreys have made their nest on a tree high up on the hillside carefully constructed by the forestry commission to try and attract such a rare specie of raptor.The proprietor of the roundhouse tearoom has a telescope carefully positioned to allow visitors a wonderful view of the birds who were feeding their two chicks as we all watched from a safe distance.Lunch was taken in the estate accompanied by hundreds if not thousands of the dreaded Scottish midgie who were really enjoying annoying the ramblers as they swarmed about in the warm humid conditions . After a short break we were on our way again to try and find a breeze to chase the little blighters away. Pleasant afternoon stroll along the estate roads brought us back to our cars to end another great walk with this group. Thanks to the leader for another memorable day in the company of this fine group.

Cunninghame ramblers. Maybole with a twist. July 2014

Everyone enjoying our first break

He used to cycle in this area!!

Out on the open moorland

Madam chair back to full fitness

Leader explaining the inscription on the "murder plaque"

On top of Kildoon hill

Lots of colourful wild flowers at this time of year

Our large group today

The deerstalker was the walk leader.

On Sunday July 13 Cunninghame ramblers went to Maybole to do a well known walk but today was to be a wee bit different and was described in the programme as "Maybole with a twist". 22 of us left the car park at the local swimming baths and made our way out towards Craigfin Hill which was the twist in the walk we were going to do it in the reverse direction which gave us completely different views that we normally associate with this route. It was a clear pleasantly warm day as we crossed over the open moorland until we arrived at the plaque to a sinister murder which was carried out by one of thelocally famous Kennedys well over 100 years ago.A visit to the monument on top of Kildoon Hill was a fitting end to this rather jovial walk with thanks the deerstalker for leading the group on such a fine outing.