Ayr and District ramblers. Craigengillan Estate circular by Dalmellington. October 2014

Passing a memorial garden on our way to Craigengillan

Dalcairney Falls.

Coffee break under a tree.

Equestrian pastimes are encouraged on the estate

Someone has to do the mucking out.

My walks always have a tree lined avenue in them

Lovely restored cottage with a thatched roof.

Craigengillan House

The leader always makes an appearance in the blog

Todays group seek shelter from a passing shower

Yesterday Sunday October 27 on a dreich breezy morning 9 of us braved the elements with myself as leader for a 9 mile circular walk round Craigengillan Estate near to the town of Dalmellington.Fistly we walked along a riverside with two seperate sightings of dippers at play in the water. Once we were in the estate the light rain we had experienced at the start ceased to make it a little more pleasant to make our way up to Dalcairney Falls which were not quite in full flow which was a little surprising given all the rain that has fallen in the last few days.From here the group made their way up to the dark sky observatory which unfortunately was closed today probably due to the lack of visitors to the estate on a wet day.Again the rain stopped as we made our way towards the Bellsbank path when one of our group suggested an alternative route (same one that suggested an alternative route when I had a wee acident) anyway unperturbed the group made their way along a most wonderful dry path enclosed by a magnificent forest to make the going so much more pleasant before rejoining our original path. Arriving back at the cars we all agreed that the conditions were not too bad for that kind of walk and it was a lot better than sitting at home looking out the window.