Monday 7 November 2022
Ten members of the Biggar Ramblers travelled up the Ayr valley to Kames on 29th October to complete a circular 6 mile walk up Cairn Table. Although we left the car park in the dry the rain soon began to fall, lightly at first. The ground conditions were already very wet and muddy following recent downfalls, but we continued up the steady incline taking a quick coffee at the point called ‘the Steel’. Continuing we ascended to the top against the brisk winds, taking brief shelter against the towering Cairn, a memorial to those who gave their lives in WW1 from the Muirkirk area. Heading down the south west slope of the hill was tricky due to the rocky and slippery path. Taking a quick stop for lunch in a sheltered hollow, the rain continued to fall, but we managed to negotiate the hazardous conditions safely down to the more sheltered tracks used by miners over the last two centuries. Passing the cairn to the road builder John ‘Tar’ McAdam, we returned to the start point, wet and windswept, but satisfied that we had completed a significant challenge. Notwithstanding the inclement weather we had enjoyed great views over the Ayr Valley and the former industrial archeological landscape of Muirkirk and the surrounding area.
