Author Archives: drow 'n smirr

Ayrshire Coastal Path: 4 – beaches, burns and bull pens

8.24 miles 4h 46min ascent 68m Girvan Mains – Maidens Much of the 8.24-mile journey from Girvan Mains to Maidens is actual beach walking and offers ample time to soak in the beauty of the Ayrshire coast, with its dramatic cliffs, secluded … Continue reading

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Ayrshire Coastal Path: 3 – a very British picnic

7.58 miles 3h 55m ascent 153m Lendalfoot-Girvan Mains Many years ago, a small island was discovered off the south west coast of Scotland by a group of fairies who were on their way to the mainland. The fairies were blown … Continue reading

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Ayrshire Coastal Path: 2 – beaches, barriers and braying bovines

7.18 miles 3h 19m ascent 118m Ballantrae-Lendalfoot Trudge: V. (intr) to walk laboriously, wearily or without spirit but steadily and persistently (Orig. obsc) The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary This word accompanied my thoughts as I walked, and re-appeared as I … Continue reading

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The Last of the Long Field Hills

2.29 miles 1h 15min ascent 75m Little Auchenfad Hill Auchenfad, achadh fada, means the long field, which I take to be the land bounded by Craigbill and Auchenfad Hills to the north, and Trostan and Little Auchenfad Hills to the … Continue reading

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Auchengray Hill – one of Monica’s neighbours

2.21 miles 1h 44m ascent 132m I have seen two suggested origins for the name Auchengray. Field of the moor or field of the herd. Auchen is common in place names, almost certainly coming from achadh, ‘field’ and an/na ‘the’; … Continue reading

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Ayrshire Coastal Path: 1 – fairy foxgloves and standing stones

9.54 miles 4h 21m ascent 209m Glen App Kirk- Ballantrae Behind yon hills where Stinsiar flows,‘Mang moors an’ mosses many, O Robert Burns This was our first section of the Ayrshire Coastal Way, taking us from Glen App Kirk over … Continue reading

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Three Peaks: Day 3 – Whernside, viaduct, aqueduct and bolting rhubarb

8.04 miles 5h 3min ascent 473m Ribblehead-Viaduct-Dales High Way-Cable Rake-Whernside-Skelside-Broadrake-The Scar- Gunnersfleet-Ribblehead Whernside was the third of our Yorkshire Three Peaks walk. It takes its name from the OE cweorn ‘Quern, millstone’ and at 736m it is the highest of … Continue reading

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Three Peaks: Day 2 – Ingleborough, limestone pavements and powdery primulas

9.28 miles 6h 22min ascent 470m Ribblehead-Gauber quarry-Park Fell-Souther Scales Fell-Swine Tail-Ingleborough-Sulber Nick-Horton Ingleborough is the second highest of the Yorkshire Three Peaks and the second of our Three Peaks’ walks. After a very wet outing the day before, we … Continue reading

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