Whitelee to Waterside 11 February

Allan, Davie C, Gus, Johnny, Kenny, Malcolm, Paul, Rex, Robert

Gus provided excellent hospitality in Kilmarnock before we set off for Waterside and then to Whitelee Wind Farm. Thanks Gus, much appreciated. (We may even have to add a bacon roll competition to our ever-increasing social calendar).

Davie reads whilst holding his sausage!

Setting off from the car park about half past ten it felt even colder than last week as the weather was raw and dreich, so it came as no surprise that the pace was challenging as we followed the Lochgoin Circuit. This well-known track took us between Lochgoin Reservoir and Dunwan Dam before doubling back to skirt Lochgoin again. We left the Circuit just before it headed up to Lochgoin Farm and Monument and instead turned off down towards Array H. We’ve come this way before and it avoids some open ground at the farm and some doubtful underfoot conditions approaching Craigenduntan Reservoir. When we got to H212 we could see the fishermen’s hut, or what is left of it, and decided that we would have lunch therein. This involved leaving the path and heading over some rough and challenging conditions for about a hundred yards. When we emerged from the rough stuff we realised we were on the wrong side of the burn and so we headed up stream until we came to a wee weir which, as Kenny’s photo shows, was crossed with care. (Actually it was slightly easier crossing this obstacle than traversing the sheughs in the previously-mentioned rough stuff).

Room with a view - note the decking

Lunch was taken in the hut, whose whole front was missing. Fortunately the open end was in the lea of the prevailing conditions and the hut afforded us good shelter from the wind, not that it was that strong, but it was cauld.

From here it was down the track, past the big house where a big dug came out to greet us, and then down past the farm and on to the Kiwi Lodge road, where we made room for Malky McCormick to pass in his multi-dented car.  We were back at Waterside at quarter past two and made our way to the King’s in Fenwick for FRT where we were met by Derval Davie who had hurt his ankle again, but having had enough of sitting about the house, had to get out to see the ‘boys’.

And for those wondering, yes we did treat ourselves to some plates of chips! Bacon rolls and chips in one day – haud us back!