Calderglen, East Kilbride 27 July

Allan, Davie C, Davie Mc, Gus, Ian, Jimmy, Kenny T, Malcolm, Paul, Peter, Robert

This was a first for the Ooters – a visit to Calderglen Country Park for a walk down the Calder gorge and beyond. The weather was kind to us, not like the thunder, lightning and heavy rain of the previous week which had led to the walk being postponed, and so we set off in good walking conditions i.e. dry, bright and comfortably warm. Robert was leading, as he had discovered the walk in the Herald and clung tightly to the clipping as he negotiated us out of the car park.

Looking down into the gorge

View stop

Following the regular signs, we made our way down to the path above the Calder and with the river on our left hand side we continued on under the A726 Strathaven road and followed on the path until we reached Hurlawcrook Road. We crossed this road and a wee bit further down found the continuation of the path towards Langlands Moss Nature Reserve. Wishing to head over the Moss and aim for Auldhouse we ignored the direction indicated by the sign, which had obviously been turned round by ‘helpful’ locals, and took to the boardwalk over the boggy stuff. Before long we found that a section of the boardwalk had been vandalised in that a thirty metre section had been set on fire and was no more. Ignoring a sign which discouraging walkers from taking to the Moss, we made the remaining section of the boardwalk without any alarm and soon found the path which took us towards Auldhouse. Before long though we were in the horns of a dilemma, or since Peter was present, in the corns of a dilemma. Should we follow the main track in front of us or take a path off to the right. The company was split with Robert’s cutting not conclusive. Holly made her way to the right but she hadn’t done this walk before, so, for once, we ignored her and her followers and decided to go straight on. Within a hundred yards this decision proved to be correct as we reached Langlands Road and a signpost pointing to Auldhouse.

Country cousins

As we headed up the road we met a group of lady walkers heading in the opposite direction and, as Jimmy reminisced with one of them about cross-country races at Cumnock, the others confirmed that Auldhouse was just up the road but that the pub wasn’t open yet. The restaurant and pub looked very inviting, but we had our pieces with us and found a wee park close by for coffee and/or lunch. The adjacent Primary School had had its original building renovated and added to by ultra-modern glass structures. It was not to everyone’s taste but certainly caught the eye.

Clear signs of fire damage

The walkwayless section

The next part of the walk took us on a loop, just to make the walk a bit longer. We followed Cleughearn Road up to its junction with Millwell Road, turned left and then left again back on to Hurlawcrook Road down past Langlands Golf Course and back on to the path taking us back to our starting point. We did take time though for another short stop by the river to allow those who still had pieces left to eat them. The Visitor Centre was reached three hours and forty-five minutes after starting and by this time the whole area and its attractions was hoaching.
FRT was taken back at the Kings in Fenwick. A good day out and one which we can repeat again.