ADRC Girvan to Tormitchel Circular. Sunday March 20th 2011

Bridge under the Girvan-Stranraer railway line.

We meet some highland cows.

Taken before we disappeared into the mist.

Signs of brighter weather coming in.

Coffee break.

Some stiff climbs today.



This must have been a large farm at one time.




Tormitchel Quarry



Not everyone has two lamas in their back garden.

Lunch stop.

Our first view today of Ailsa Craig.

Today's group on our way down to Girvan.

Today Sunday March 20th 18 members of ADRC headed off to Girvan on a rather dreich day for 9 mile circular walk  up round Tormitchel Quarry and over the hills back to the start.Our first obstacle today was a herd of highland cows who were very vocal and a couple had their calfs with them .Our walk leader was contemplating how we could navigate safely around them when our rambling farmer came to the rescue lifted HER walking pole to the vertical position and proceeded towards the beasts and they immediately moved aside and we carried on up the hill!!Thanks to the farmer we had no further problems.By now we were heading up into the mist and the summit of Laggan Hill (269M) With the rain coming on and a wee bit soft underfoot we stopped for a coffee break when in the distance from the South it appeared to be brightening up a wee bit. Passing through Barbae Woods the rain went off and we descended down to Tormitchel Quarry where I explained to the group I had had some business dealings with in a past life but all that was behind me now. (Most people refer to it as retirement) We were now on a hard road surface which made the going a little bit easier when we met  with 2 lamas in a smallholding who probably had never seen so many people at one time in their lives.Several efforts were made to communicate with them but we all failed miserably.Lunch was taken on the slopes of Tralorg Hill before we climbed up to Saugh Hill (269M) which lies above the town of Girvan which also gave us our first sighting of Ailsa Craig today.A steep descent with a couple of ramblers demonstrating their skills at tobogganing without the sledge if you can get my meaning.We came onto a track leading to Fauldribbon Farm and along a road back to the car park at the South side of Girvan which was our starting point. Excellent walk under difficult conditions and our thanks to the walk leader who had worked out a route for us all to pass safely through.