Great day bad night...

 

Eileen's delightful garden played host to us yesterday afternoon for a lovely wee family gathering in perfect conditions.

Sadly then spent the evening getting depressed in front of the telly...but then history has taught us that it never ends well! 

Monday walk and a last look at Ayr and Arran.

Yesterday we were joined by our very dear friend Bert for our last walk with Eileen to take in the views of a snow covered Isle of Arran and to show him some of the area that was new to him. 

We are heading south today for the start of our journey home to France. We have had a great trip but with. as ever. mixed emotions. We shared great times with friends and family with Rose and Michael's wedding an obvious highlight along with the joy that is Ada. Eileen's generosity as a hostess has made the trip so much easier and we will miss Arrol Gardens here in Ayr. The 'sisters' have been at their best and their  joint laughter will be missed. 

A last look along the Ayrshire coastline.

First walk and next year's xmas card!

Yesterday Pauline and  did our first walk of 2023, a brisk 7 miles along the coast and back along the old railway line via  Alloway and Belleisle Park. In Alloway I stopped to take the above pic, of Pauline from across the street. An American tourist,who was on the Rabbie Burns trail asked if I wanted her to take one of us both.She was amused when I said I did not actually know the woman but took it anyway (below) - that's next years Christmas card sorted then!

 

Here is our walk in pictures...

Christmas costumery...

 

A Christmas day that started with pyjama games and had a prehistoric period ended with a bit of glam...all good looks I'd have to say!

Swanning around the coast...

Captured these swans in the sea as we passed on this morning's walk... 

and this fellow on the river Ayr.

We also spotted Santa having a pre-Christmas round of golf.

In need of a hothouse...

Our walks here in Ayr are understandably on the cool side so when we walked through the gardens of Belleisle Country Park it was an inspired decision to pay a visit to its beautifully restored conservatory, we were greeted by the warm temperature and Christmas colours. 

South on the seafront walk...

For yesterday's seafront walk Eileen took us south in the direction of Greenan Castle on what was a very cold windy morning - fairly cleared the cobwebs away.

Mon banc dominical / My Sunday Bench - Alloway

Spotted on visit to Ayr bench with life-size bronze sculptures of Luath and Caesar, the dogs from Burns’ poem ‘The Twa Dogs’. Created by artist Sally Matthews near the 'Robert Burns Birthplace Museum' in Alloway

Sunday stroll...on the old Ayr - Turnberry railway line.

Yesterday Eileen took us over to the 'Robert Burns Birthplace Museum' in Alloway where we parked the car and proceeded along a track and down on to the cycle path that follows the tree-lined track bed of the old Ayr - Turnberry railway line which closed in 1968. You start the walk by entering a couple of tunnels which could take a bit of inspiration from a similar project over in Edinburgh as these are only lined by graffiti.

 It takes you to a bridge over the River Doon, from where I took the first photo (above) from the bridge looking back towards the old 'Brig O' Doon' which was built in the 15th century and features in the last verse of Burns' epic poem 'Tam O'Shanter'.

The treelined path takes you all the way over to the ruins of  Greenan Castle a former 16th-century tower house that sits on the high ground overlooking the coastline.

We had intended to walk back through the parks of Belleisle and Rozelle but rain (no surprise there) meant we headed straight back to our starting point passing this homage, a 2m tall mouse, to Burns' poem 'To a Mouse' not quite the 'wee, sleekit, cowrin, tim'rous beastie' he referred to.

 

Another winters walk...

 We have had some beautiful winter weather over the last couple of days and we were able to get back out walking ,  here is Friday's walk in pictures...