'First-footing' through 'Burn's Country'...

 We are very lucky with the location of Pauline's mum's house here in Ayr, the house looks onto what was the old racecourse now an open space used as playing fields. For one of our local walks we cross this on into Belleisle park and golf course (avoiding golf balls). So it was a good one to have as our first walk of 2013.

Then we cross over to another park 'Rozelle'  and on into the village of Alloway. 

It seemed appropriate that we should be walking through Alloway on the first day of the year as this is the birthplace of  Scotland's national bard, Robert Burns, the man who gave us 'Auld Lang Syne' among many others.

This is the thatched cottage in the village where he was born.

The 'Auld Kirk' in the village was immortalised in his poem 'Tam o'Shanter'

There is also a pretty little garden with a fine monument to him near the old bridge over the river Doon.

The auld Brig o'Doon was the bridge 'Tam' and his horse were chased over by the witches...

and just as they made the bridge,that the witches couldn't cross, one of them grabbed his horse, Maggie's tail...

For Nannie, far before the rest, 

Hard upon noble Maggie prest, 

And flew at Tam wi' furious ettle; 

But little wist she Maggie's mettle - 

Ae spring brought off her master hale, 

But left behind her ain gray tail; 

The carlin claught her by the rump, 

And left poor Maggie scarce a stump.

Here is a view  of the 'new'bridge over the river Doon.

 We then headed back through Belleisle park on our way back to Pauline's mum's house with the afternoon weather taking a turn for the better.