August Coastal Day Trip
A reduced number of Steven, Heidi, Ian and Iris met at the bus stop opposite the Harbour Bar in Troon to catch the 9.56am No.10 bus to Dundonald for the start of the Smugglers Trail walk back to Troon. Despite a poor forecast, the weather was initially dry, and we enjoyed a fairly brief stop, in the sun, sitting outside the cafe below Dundonald Castle before setting off from the start of the walk behind the cafe. A good path runs through a pleasant wooded area to reach the side of a reservoir and continues on past a disused quarry to reach the A759 which runs down to Loans.
The next section of the walk alongside the road is not particularly attractive, but has the compensating factor that on reaching Loans a refreshment can be enjoyed in the the Old Loans Inn. We sat inside as the sun had disappeared and decided to have a snack as well as a refreshment. The walk then carries on through Loans and follows a well sign posted track towards Fullarton House. After leaving Loans there was a short rain shower but this soon went off. We then carried on past the side of Lochgreen Hotel to reach the bridge over the railway onto the golf course, and on to the beach .. then a walk of around 2.5km along the beach to Troon. This was made particularly attractive as the tide was well out and Ian had an excellent paddle on the way.
On reaching Troon we walked up into the town and we all, courtesy of Heidi, enjoyed some excellent ice cream, unfortunately interrupted by a short rain shower before wandering along to the start point near the Harbour Bar.
This was a very pleasant walk of about 14km with some very minor ascents, made particularly enjoyable by the forecast rain not materialising.
Ian Moffatt
August Weekday Walk in the Galston area
Steven, Diane, Willie, and Ian and Iris, assembled at the Barr Castle car park in Galston on a cool August day.
As we all set off through the side streets of Galston, admiring the houses and gardens facing onto Burn Anne, Willie noted that it was exactly 5 years since the clubs previous visit in August 2001.
The smell of a B-B-Q filled our nostrils as we walked by, and we chatted to the cook with the hope he would invite us over to taste his fare .. but no luck!
After crossing the B7037, we were soon following the uphill track in the Burnhouse Brae Woods along the Burn. We then crossed the road at Quarryhouse and climbed up a steeper path into the Cessnock Woods.
We continued along and up gradients, taking some refreshments at a park bench in the sheltered Target Woods. Considering the dry weather, we were surprised to encounter a few muddy sections, which we navigated successfully.
When we reached the hilltop at the end of the Burn Anne Walk, we turned right on the country road (later named B7037) and were treated to lovely views of Ayrshire and the Isle of Arran.
We then walked downhill past Threepwood Farm on the B7037 and turned right to walk on the country road through lovely Cessnock Wood. We then met the path at Quarryhouse which we had crossed earlier in the morning, hence the figure-of-8 walk.
We continued up the rise, turning left, and found ourselves looking at the lovely houses at Thornwood .. the more prosperous area of Galston? Not sure where to have refreshments, we asked a local, and she directed us to Cafe Roma, a lovely small cafe with good cakes and coffee.
And so ended a most enjoyable day. We all have noted in our 5-year diaries the date of August 2031 for the next anniversary of the Burn Anne Walk!
GPS data : distance 9.1km, total time 3hrs 26mins, walking time 2hrs 39mins
Steven Anson
