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Not such a good day, we had a few showers, but a keen bunch
of six explorers: Alasdair C., Donald, Edward, Frederik, Jan
Hendrik, and Robbie C. with four helpers, Dot, Howard, John
Dove and Johnny C.with Ellie trying to get us interested in
throwing sticks into the sea.
As usual in this area, we started by looking at the two odd
trees opposite the picnic site: the Cryptomeria with its zigzag
bark and the Douglas fir with its whiskery cones. Then it
was off on the walk proper, up the bank of the big burn. We
crossed the wayleave and had a look at the old stone bridge
which was part of the original Glenborrodale track.
Then we plodded on up the big hill, watching the opposite
bank of the burn until we found Zander’s corn kiln.
Most of us struggled down the slippery slope and across to
examine the kiln, with almost all of the explorers climbing
through the fire tunnel. Quite a few people got wet and muddy
around this time.
Back across the burn and up the bank, we carried on walking
up through the larch plantation, noting very fresh deer droppings
of animals which had been scared off by our advance. As we
climbed the hill we passed three lines of old dykes, once
used by the crofters living in the area.
Above the top dyke, the trees were smaller and it was a matter
of making a final effort to reach the top fence, quite near
the big aerial. Jan Hendrick questioned whether the effort
was worth it just to see an aerial, but everyone else seemed
happy enough, at least after the Tunnock’s wafers had
been handed round.
Then we retraced our steps down the hill, the adults being
ambushed by the explorers on a couple of occasions. We took
a diversion off to the east to see the old Tarbert fank and
then worked our way down through the wood back to the car
park and thence to the Pantry for refreshments.
John
Dye
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