Ayr to Glenborrowdale

Walk 20

June 2015. 121.7 miles

Day 1 of 9 - Friday 5th June 2015
Dunure to Doonsfoot

Participants:
Richard Porter, Bernie Porter, Carl Hamill, Stuart Page, Hamish Morton, Tim Hicks, Paul Brearley, Paul Harris, Russell Matthews, Phil Wilson, Steve Palmer & Simon Clarke

• Trip started on the early train to Southampton airport with Richard Paul Bernie Hamish where we met up with Tim
• Ricard's huge bag provided some amusement. Flybe Flight to Glasgow
• Kev and Paul had an excellent idea of removing the back 2 seats from the Glasgow hire van
• Drive to Dunure
• Walked for approx 3 hours Dunure to Doonsfoot carpark. Approx 7.2 miles
• Checked into Wildings hotel, excellent service, food, amazing value. One of the best hotels on this trip
• Phil, Tim and Paul stayed in the old peoples home. Plastic sheets and meals through a straw
• Wildlife starts Comerants and seals
• Great weather
• Harbour a cafe stop. Was it green tea or just a green cup?
• Richard quote of the trip "It's just around the corner"
• Slow going on the slippery rocks, coasteering into the wind over the rocks at Maypole
• Deserted coastlines was the theme for this trip


Day 2 of 9 - Saturday 6th June 2015
Doonfoot to Irvine

• Doonsfoot to Irvine
• Full wet weather gear start out of the minibus
• 9 walkers
• Left Jen running the hotel as Wildlings
• Electric brea going up hill
• Castle on rock no planning permission needed back then
• Rainy Troon seaside town ,"southbeach" Sand in ears after Sandstorms on the beach
• Managed to locate the Mancini of Ayr Ice cream parlor
• Blueberry cafe, Paul takes a shine, bit of shortbread between 9
• Kite sufferers 6
• Dragon on the hill before the Bridge to nowhere( explosives factory)
• 1 miles extra loop due to Navigation errors
• Mr hospitality at Menzie hotel Irvine. Richard managed his career advice
• Phone App issue. no one can agree on the distance today 16.5 miles to 15 miles ended at the bridge

Day 3 of 9 - Sunday 7th June 2015
Ardrosson to Lochranza

• Breakfast for 7 then a trip to the explosive factory
• A fast 3.8 miles walk allowed us to just catch the Ardrossan ferry
• Phil pork pie and sausage roll please
• Afternoon heavy 16.5 miles Arran coastal path walk Lochranza to Sannox. Stunning empty walk
• Dinner at the fabulous Drift Inn we notice that Phil has changed into Bill
• Russell, Steve and Simon joint the group
• Whiskey tasting Arran 10 bit rough
• Arran 14 year old is the one!


Day 4 of 9 - Monday 8th June 2015
Clannaig to Kennacraig

• Started walk from lamlash bay,Sun seals and great view of Holly Island with a quick one mile up the coast
• Co op supplies and sandwiches, Carl dropped his hotels keys off! Kev drove us to Lochranza
• Transport to Lochranze ferry port, Kev just got the wheels on the back of the ferry
• Ferry at 1130 hrs (check in) to Clannaig, Coffin of the ferry
• Fast 6mile walk Clannaig to Kennacraig
• Ferry at 1445 hrs (check in) to Isle of Islay and the White Hart! - Port Ellen. Arrive 1725 hrs
• Transport to hotel Port Ellen. Two nights in this hotel
• Late after noon yomp to Kintra Beach saw some Hares
• Great meal in the Islay hotel "Fesh and cheps"
• Ireland 28 miles away Irish Telly
• White hart poor condition. Value 4, Quality 4. Service 0
• The Islay hotel, Value 6, Quality 7, Service 8
• A few spoilt rambler moments with the room selections and did Simon just buy a hotel?


Day 5 of 9 - Tuesday 9th June 2015
Kintra to Bowmore

• Simon 2 bowls soup 2 fried eggs for breakfast
• Amazing weather no midges good temperature for walking
• 16.5 miles in total
• Started the day with a gentle 10 miles Kintra to To Bowmore over the west beach near via the partially constructed golf obstacle • course carefully avoiding the farm at kintra
• Spent an hour trying to get off the newly made golf course
• Steve hand gash jumping the fence
• El Phili takes on the bull
• Peacock pie anyone
• Rope bridges adventures
• Late lunch at the very slow Bowmore cafe where Richard becomes the waiter
• Constant bickering from the food and beverage dept. Stuart and Russell
• Kev Shoe fixes the boot
• Seal on rock
• Longest lunch 1.35 mins for food
• Stunning views 1000 year landscape walk up to the Honesty box at Kildalton Cross
• Stuart on the excutive dinner meeting
• Hangovers at breakfast
• Stuart leaves his mark
• 7 miles no people
• Phil still not Phil...
• Miles 16.5 miles

Day 6 of 9 - Wednesday 10th June 2016
Port Askaig to Isle of Mull

• Left the over charging white hart hotel
• Said goodbye to the lovely Simon and Steve
• Ferry day
• Super comfortable Kev Van drive to Port Askaig
• Ferry at 0930 hrs (check in) to Isle of Colonsay and then onto Oban arriving at 1405 hrs
• Lunch on the finlaggan ferry to Oban or in Oban at the amazing seafood bar on the key. Sea food capital of Scotland
• Oban was sunny and a quick peak at the distillery
• Ferry at 1530 hrs (check in) to Isle of Mull arriving 1645 hrs
• Colonsay Eagles spotted
• Stunning ferry ride into Oban, saw the snowcapped Ben Nevis
• Richard get worried apparently the second sunny day of the year
• 5.8 mile coastal walk
• "Sun burnt in Scotland" words not normally in a sentence together
• Cleared the dinning room again
• We all stayed in the Isle of Mull hotel. Very long corridors


Day 7 of 9 - Thursday 11th June 2015
Mull Coastline

• Stunning Mull walked Treshnish Coast and the Whisky Cave
• Kev rescues the day with sandwiches
• 17 miles
• Paul Bog walking direct route again
• Russell caught us out with the Bird sounds app
• Paul gets an Oscar at the top of the hill best performance of the trip
• Bones eaten by eagles?
• White Eagles
• Where are the whiskey caves?
• Water falls high and low
• Large Adder by the ruins
• F&B made a great choice with the meal
• Played the guess our ages game Kev won again!
• Stay overnight at Tobermory


Day 8 of 9 - Friday 12th June 2015
Kilchoan to Acharacle

• Ferry at 0900 hrs to Kilchoan arriving at 1005 hrs. Ardnamurchan Point
• Trip to the most westerly point of mainland Britain and another lighthouse
• Walk Kilchoan to Acharacle. Approx 20 miles. Lunch above the forest between the mountains
• Snack at the Nadurra Visitor Centre. Walk finished at Glenborrodale
• Transport to Onich for hotel. Approx 1.25 hours
• What do you call a good looking woman in Fort William "A Foreigner"
• Blown away Phil outstanding trip and scenary
• Paul and Richard breakfast menu
• Not False eagle spotting
• "Europe loves Scotland" sign. I bet they just do
• Views of Skye
• We all know where the shipping forecast island of Tiree is now
• Road side Latvian rescue on the way to Fort William
• "Any one for Cornish paste"
• Finally saw an eagle at Salem
• Kev getting to ferry with 2 mins two mins to spare 6pm
• Running out of words to describe the amazingly excellent weather
• Speeches and last night meal. Well done Tim the kitty man
• Trip to Ben Nevis to introduce Richard to some 3 peaks walkers
• Staying at the lodge on the loch hotel


Day 9 of 9 - Saturday 13 June 2015
Fort William , Acharcle to Southampton

Transport to Glasgow. Flight BE891 taking off at 1445 hrs and landing at 1615 hrs Southampton

• Loving wifes at the airport. Just one
• Special people on the train on the way home.