South Ayrshire Ramblers.Lamford and Benbrack Hills. November 2011

The sluice on the Water of Deugh.

One for the Newton Stewart blogger!!

Looking out to Loch Doon.

Lunch on Dodd Hill.



Todays birthday boy.



Back onto terra firma.

A nice autumn picture of the Water of Deugh.

Ruins of Darnscaw Cottage.

Should we cross or should we not.

Aw stuff it lets give it a go!

Todays sunny group.

Our leader and my shadow.

On Saturday Novenmber 12 I went with South Ayrshire ramblers to the  Dumfries and Galloway border about 6 miles south of Dalmellington to climb a couple of hills that I had not done before.On a lovely clear morning 12 of us left from the sluice on the Water of Deugh to our first climb up Lamford Hill (399M) which was a wee bit soft underfoot but gained us some height fairly quickly. Once on the top we could see over to the Galloways and Loch Doon so this was an ideal spot for our elevenses even though it was only 10.30.Once refreshed we crossed over to Benbrack (448M) through some very tussocky ground which required everybody to lift their feet in this testing ground.Once we were all on the summit the leader pointed out the various hills we could see round about us. Again we had to go through some soft terrain to reach Dodd Hill where we had our lunch stop and sang happy birthday to one embarrassed walker.At this point we all expected a piece of cake or at least a sweetie but these guys from South Ayrshire are not known for their generosity. Perhaps next year!!Once off the hill we reached a hard road to give us a rest from the boggy conditions much to the delight of some of the group. We only did a short distance on the road when the leader took us away down by the waters edge onto a track that was bearly visible let alone passable. Along past a the ruins of Darnscaw Cottage we arrived a bridge over the burn. I mention the word bridge loosely as it had no sides and was only about 1 metre wide. Quick discussion it was decided we could cross but no more than two at a time with the lighter walkers going first. Needless to say great hilarity here as we nominated who was to cross last and to add to the fun the bloody thing had a sway in the middle as you walked over.All safely over we joined a forest track to take us back to the cars. A very pleasant 5 mile walk taken in glorious sunshine and my thanks to the leader and the rest of the group for allowing me to join you today I really enjoyed it.

Ballantrae to Beneraird circular November 2011

Looking over to an old favourite "Knockdolian"

The teacher pointing to some wreckage from a plane (see text)

There is still quite a lot of it left.

Summit of Beneraird (439M) No shorts on today!!

Today Thursday I left Ayr on the 6.40AM bus to Ballantrae via Girvan and picked up the teacher en route. This is a walk I did in the summer with my mother group Wigtownshire ramblers so I will not repeat a lot of it but if you wish you can see my previous blog at Farmers walk to Beneraird also a professional one was done by my good friend from Newton Stewart called The blogging rambler.You need to scroll right down  at it is the last posting on the page.The walk today basically followed the same route to the summit of Beneraird then in the  mist we carried on to Pildinny Hill to look at the plane wreckage which is still lying around today from a crash that occurred in 1945. A Liberton aircraft from Lancashire was on its way to Prestwick with 20 American Servicemen on board when it crashed resulting in 17 deaths plus 3 being seriously injured. One of the survivors managed to reach Lagafater Lodge to raise the alarm.A cairn is supposed to be in the area in memory of all those who lost their lifes but in the heavy mist we failed to find it so another trip up there is being planned for next Spring.The amount of wreckage still visible today must make quite unique that the souvenir hunters over the years had not removed all traces of it. Perhaps its remote location has helped to preserve it.We then went over Big Fell and  down through Balkissock to make our way back to Ballantrae.This was an 11 mile walk with a lot of boggy ground to contend with , the mist at the top made it a wee bit disappointing to miss out on the wonderful views you can get there on a good day. Once back at the start the sun was shining and the clouds were dispersing as we waited for the bus to take us home. Another good day out in the company of the teacher  who is trying to educate me as we trudge along the paths. Give it up pal it is too late to try that on me now at my age.

Elite walking group . Dunure and Brown Carrick Hill. November 2011

Todays group at the top of Brown Carrick Hill.

Today Tuesday November 8th 4 of us from our Elite walking group did a 12 mile circular walk starting from my house in Doonfoot. This is a walk I did recently with ADRC and I will try and bring in the link from that blog to this one as I was shown how to do it by the expert from Newton Stewart. http://gordonanne.blogspot.com/2011/10/adrc-brown-carrick-hill-ayr-circular.html  Not quite as I wanted to post it but at least it is there. Once I get a bit more practice at the link maybe it should look a wee bit more professional! Anyway back to todays walk we set off after a delayed start having to wait for one of the group who arrived late due the volume of traffic on the Ayr by pass. Honestly have you ever heard such a limp excuse,in true blog tradition no names will be mentioned but Troon is only a few miles up the coast from Ayr.As I have blogged this earlier and the poor light today I have decided to not reproduce any of the photos but give you a quick resume of our walk. Starting off along the shore to the Bracken Bay caravan site we then turned inland to climb up Brown Carrick Hill and  onto Fisherton which is the wee village next to Dunure. Passing the school the teacher thought about his days in that profession and decided he would much rather be out walking today than stuck inside a classroom. Could not agree more. Passing the remains of the Kibble School (see previous blog for details) we made our way back onto the shore to have our lunch stop. At this point I reflected to the others about  earlier experiences in my life on these shores when we used to hold barbeque parties and get up to some high jinks most of it is censored and not for younger bloggers ears.Back along the shore we then headed for the Heads of Ayr where we saw some wonderful sightings of the many seabirds to be found on this coastline. Passing by Greenan Castle we arrived back at the house after a good leg stretching walk to end a super day out in our local area.

ADRC Maybole circular on the Carrick Way November 2011

Walkers are briefed on todays walk at the start.

Not quite a tree lined avenue.(best I could do)

Maybole from Kildoon Hill.

Monument to Sir Charles Fergusson of Kilkerran.(1800-1849)

The walkers got stretched out today.

Elevenses at a small quarry face.

This is dedicated to a fellow blogger. ("A daft scots lass")

Lochspouts used to supply water to Maybole.

Todays rather large group.



Our leader today was Madam Vice.



A Snipe.

Kestrel.

Whooper swans.

On a lovely clear sunny autumn morning 33 walkers from ADRC met at Maybole baths car park for a 9 mile circular walk using parts of the Carrick Way. The first part took us on to the top of Kildoon Hill with its wonderful monument to Sir Charles Fergusson of Kilkerran whose family still have ties in the area today. A nice muddy path now took us to over to Craigfin Hill with its views towards the villages of Crosshill and Dailly. It was here that our rambling twitcher spotted about 10 whooper swans on their annual migration to this country flying nearby. Also twitched by the same walker were a pair of snipes and a kestrel sitting high up on a power cable in the sunshine. Coming back towards Maybole we crossed a ford in the river giving us a chance to clean our boots after we had been through some quite muddy paths. On to a hard road that took us back to the start to end what was a most enjoyable sunny walk in a large group with all the usual banter associated the ADRC.Thank you Madam Vice for leading us today it was a pleasure to be out on such a fantastic mild day in the November sunshine and your knowledge of the local history made it a walk to remember once the long winter nights start in the weeks ahead.

Elite walking group. Byne Hill Girvan. November 2011

We gave bully a wide berth

Nice walk up a tree lined avenue!

South Ayrshire at its finest.

Four of us walked out to Pinbain Hill (224M)

Todays group with our new member (the teacher)

Girvan Town from Byne Hill (214M)

Byne Cairn

Looking South along the wonderful coastline.

Shorts in November is a record for me.

Today Tuesday November 1st 5 members of the Elite walking group met at Girvan South car park to do the usual Byne Hill circuit. This is a walk we have all done many times before so for that reason this will be a fairly short blog. On a beautiful autumn morning with a low sun we made our way up towards the Grey Hill wetlands on the normal track. Once clear of the path it was the usual wet muddy slog to the top of Grey Hill (297M) with its wonderful sea views of the Firth of Clyde. 4 of us decided to leave our rucksacks behind and went out to Pinbain Hill (224M) to admire the scenery and returned on the same path. We then had our lunch stop before walking over to Byne Hill and then back down to the cars. What a wonderful 9 mile walk   in the glorious sunshine it is hard to believe this is the month of November todays weather was better than we get in the summer. Long may it continue but as we all know in Scotland by the weekend it could be snowing.Thanks to my fellow members for making today an  unforgettable day out in the Ayrshire hills.

ADRC Pinmore/Millenderdale walk. October 2011

Walkers gather at Pinmore

This sow wanted to join us.

One of the many stops to hear a wee bit of local history being explained by one of the leaders.

She always finds someone to talk to!

Lunch on the roadside.

Caravan has seen better days.

Four Texal Rams.

Todays large group.

Our two lovely young walk leaders.

Today Sunday October 30  ADRC met at Pinmore about 4 miles South of Girvan on the Newton Stewart road.(A714)34 of us started out from the village which is just one walker short of the record for this group. We were very fortunate to have two leaders who were both local lassies and were brought up in the area which formed todays 7 mile "C" walk.Leaving the village we went on a minor road to the start of the Millenderdale farm track to take us along to a farm where one of our leaders had warned the farmer that there would be a few us passing through today. Several times we had to do wee detours to avoid the cattle who were grazing in the fields with their calfs.Arriving at the farm was fun with several small Jack Russell pups jumping around the walkers. They probably have never seen so many folk at one time in their lifes.The next stretch was into a muddy field to Lendal Lodge where we had our lunch stop. We were now on a minor road that took us passed Knocklaugh Lodge where we were told at one time there was no running water in the house so they had to carry it  from a well across the road.The children had to walk to school in all weathers as they were within the 3 mile radius of the school so the council did not need to provide transport. How times have changed no doubt the owners today have a 4 wheel drive SUV and the kids go to a private school.Passing the Water of Lendal we made our way back to the start to end a wonderful dry windy walk led by two of Ayrshire's finest whose local knowledge made this one of most memorable walks this year one I will repeat with some of the other walking clubs I am involved in.The large group gave the leaders a very well earned vote of thanks.

Wigtownshire Ramblers. Dailly walk in the rain.October 2011

Our starting point

Leader briefing the walkers in the rain.

The Lindsayton Burn.

Some of the paths were a wee bit tricky!



One of the walkers owns this fine 1994 Lada Riva.



How to resolve a neighbourly dispute in the village.

Autumn colours have finally arrived.

Need I say more?

Still smiling through the rain.

The leader was the teacher. (Looks a wee bit like the late walker
Tom Weir!!)

Today I met up with my mother group Stranraer and Wigtownshire Ramblers who had travelled all the way to Dailly to climb Barony Hill.14 of us met at the village square in what can only be described as a truly wet miserable morning.The leader decided we would rearrange the walk due to the appalling conditions and do a woodland ramble through the Lindsayton Burn area returning to the cars before deciding our next move.The ground conditions were very wet underfoot but we all managed to complete the first part of our outing unscathed. Once back at the cars it was decided to go and  visit the ruins of the old Dalquharran Castle where we had our lunch stop before going to look at the more modern castle dating back to the 18th century . My good friend and fellow blogger will be giving you a very full and informative blog on the castles history and plans for the future, which can be accessed using the following link.The Newton Stewart Blogger. Leaving the castles behind we walked along a minor road back to the start. Our leader aplogised for the shortened walk but as we all know when we volunteer to lead walks we have no control over the weather conditions on the day. Excellent effort by the teacher under difficult circumstances and he has agreed to repeat the walk next year in the summer programme.