Knockhill-Largs Circular via Routenburn Cairn

Saturday 02nd Feb 2013

Week 4 of "The Slackers training program

The most fantastic morning I think I can ever remember in the month of January,cold but crystal clear.

“The Slackers” had decided to pick-up the Largs-Knock hill circular at “The Miegle” and Walk towards Largs.

The Path is good at the start and conditions underfoot are good, plenty of leaves on the path which made for a pretty picture.

Signs at the Path start @ The Miegle

 We started to climb  through the woods across the open fields with tremendous views back towards Arran

Fellow Slackers @ start

Isle of Arran in distance

The Climb begins

leafy lined path pity it didnt continue like this

Gate to path (wee Poem)

Litter warning in the "Style of the Bard"

Great Views

Small Farm above Miegle

Snow capped Arrochar Alps from Hills above Miegle

 

First casualty of the day “90Rocks” cuts his finger and doesn’t know how he done it.

Chaz with cut finger

As we continued along the Ayrshire Costal path becomes very boggy in places , the signs are pretty sparse and you need to be looking for them to be able to stay on track.

At the fork in the road we headed out toward the Cairn above Routenburn GC.

Note to all you keen hillwalkers: : This is a deviation from the circular path

path convergence point

Snow capped Arran from the path

Path up to Trig point

Nice view

We climbed to the top of the Hill (to the Cairn) and stopped for lunch and some pictures…

Lunch Break

Isle of Cumbrae from Trig point

View back to Inverkip from trig

Not being 100% sure of how we re-joined the path we decided to make our way down,  we decided to opt for the tourist route back to Largs via Routenburn Golf club.

PPI anyone ?

Small Skull @ way down

Tourist Route back to Largs

Hugo enjoys a run on the Open fairways

"The Slackers" minus 90 Rocks

Before long we were on the promenade in Largs watching the small boats in the pond.

Largs Boat pond

Old Boys @ LArgs boat pond

Fyfe style Yacht @ Largs Boat pond

  Before long it was time for a beer The Royal Oak pubs was the preferred stop for the Aprez walk refreshments.

Aprez Walk @ The Royal Oak

Nice Jugs @ The Royal Oak

Pucks Glen 27th January 2013

The Slackers Week 3 training program

Wasn’t sure if we would be walking today looking out early a.m it looked pretty grim and the forecast didn’t look like any improvement was on the cards.

Called the Lads they were up for it as they had all the wet weather gear.

Headed to McInroy,s point to catch the Ferry @ 10:30am, was dry but looked like rain wasn’t far away..

McInroy,s point Western ferry on a wet Sunday morning

Big Green "The Slackers" go in style

 

Arrived at Pucks Glen, (about 5 minutes drive from Ferry terminal in Sandbank) great news its dry.. so lets get started on the walk.

Start of the Track

The follower and 90 Rocks pick a route

Can never get lost in Pucks Glen

 

We decided to follow the Yellow intermediate route out to Pucks glen , which involved an initial semi- steep climb out and up into the upper forest.

Here we go

The follower and 90 start the climb

 

After walking for about 20mins we were joined by Basil (the lost dog)..

Basil in his bid fro Freedom

 Basil had made a bid for freedom from his owner who lived in Kilmun and had joined The Slackers for a brief part of the Journey before a quick phone call to the number on his tag saw him being reunited with Malcolm

BLT calls in a rescue

Basil is recaptured and re-united with Malcolm

  

After Basil left us there was an emptiness however we continued along the forest track for approx 2 miles and stopped for lunch at under the shelter of some tree,s

Lunch Al fresco

 

We started to make our way back to Pucks Glen, this time via the Waterfalls

by the end of the walk it looked like we had been swimming in the water falls , we were absolutely drenched.

BLT and 90 @ Pucks Glen

The Follower @ Pucks Glen

Soaked through we felt the need for a warm fire and some Beers, so we headed to the Coylet Bar on Loch Eck, they had both, this allowed the Follower to dry out his Cheenies as his “Millets” (no laffin please) waterproof trousers had leaked.

After a couple of beers it was time to head back to civilisation , all in all a great walk, the Waterfalls in Pucks Glen were in full flow with the amount of rain whilst not good to walk in the raging torrents made the walk all the more some fantastic .

Apres walk @ The Coylet

Coylet

Just what was needed

Chaz and John enjoy a beer

BLT @ firplace

Loch Eck towards Dunoon

Loch Eck towards rest and be thankfull