We are the Cunninghame Ramblers. We open the way for everyone in our local community to enjoy the pleasures of walking.
Pamela F.
This is a 10.50 mile, leisurely 'there and back' walk following the River Ayr Way along a disused railway track before carefully crossing the very busy A70 to go up to Glenbuck Heritage Village then returning the way we came.
The only slight climb, is up the tarmacked access road to Glenbuck.
Along the track are the wooden remains of the former Glenbuck Train station platform. Hard to believe now, but in the early 1900s, 3 railways ran through the station - 2 serving the mining industry the other for foot passengers.
Glenbuck Loch a reservoir and the source of the River Ayr and the start of the River Ayr Way. Built in 1802 to power dozens of cotton mills, including one at Catrine, the loch is now a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
Although nothing remains of the remote village itself, display boards give information about what life was like. The final mine closed in 1933. There's a memorial to Bill Shankly (for those from a more mature generation this football character may mean something). His home team, the Glenbuck Cherrypickers, were famous in the day and some 50 members progressed to play for and manage professional teams.
Driving down to the walkers car park on Furnace Road, you'll see the old Kames Institute building with its big clock tower. In it's industrial heyday and long gone, opposite the building stood the coke furnaces of the iron works and the railway station for the old pug line.
There's a 9 hole golf course where the Kames Colliery once stood. On 19th November 1957, 17 men lost their lives in the Kames Disaster when explosions ripped through the shafts and tunnels.
We'll have a coffee stop at a bench with remains of Bankhead Miners Cottages behind it. In front, a canal used to flow before the railway track was built, known locally as the Old Pug Line - named after the small steam locomotive used to shunt the coal. In the absence of any benches or conveniently-positioned large boulders on which to sit, lunch will be at the Heritage site as there's tables and benches available.
You may want to wear gaiters as part of the track can be very wet. Poles may be handy if you use them. Care needs to be taken as the small wooden bridges along the track can be very slippy.
To carshare meet at Morrisons supermarket - top end of carpark for a prompt 08.45 departure. It's a 50 minute drive to Muirkirk. For car sharing, it's 66 miles return from Morrisons.
On reaching Muirkirk, with the primary school on your left and the Coach House Inn over on the right, turn right into Furnace Road. Follow the road down, there's a caravan park on the right then a sign for Walkers' Carpark on the left. On the way home, just under 2 miles out of Muirkirk, take it easy as you have a right turn off the A70 on to the B743 to head towards Sorn.
