22/11/2023
New adult education classes starting in January 2024 in West Kilbride Community Centre. Subjects include:
American History (Kennedy & Johnson and Martin Luther King Jr ), Art, Ballroom Dancing, Beadwork, Bridge, Drama, Embroidery & Applique, English Literature, Genealogy, Handmade Cards, Hatha Yoga, Italian, Needle Felting, Pilates, Samba Drums, Singing, Spanish, Ukulele, Wellbeing and Writing
The next Enrolment Day is Monday 8th January 2024
There will be two sessions:
Morning 9.30 - 11.30 and evening 19.00 - 20.00
Classes
Classes being offered at the West Kilbride Community Centre,winter 2022
15/11/2022
Stewarton to Kilmaurs
This is a linear walk from Stewarton station to Kilmaurs station. Train journey takes 5’ with trains every 30’. It’s 9 miles, mainly all on the flat.
From Stewarton Station head into town then down Holm St to Bridge over the Annick. Opposite there is an entrance to Lainshaw woods, community woodland. http://www.eastayrshirewoodlands.co.uk/LainshawWood.htm
Follow this path,by the river initially, through the woodland on a semi circle loop till it exits on Kilwinning Rd, near Lainshaw farm. Turn left here and follow road for about 1.5 miles to Kennox House, a 17th century baronial mansion house ( you can rent it out if you’ve got enough money ! ) https://www.kennoxhouse.com
After Kennox House follow road for approx another half mile to T junction at Crossgates. Take a left here for a few hundreds yards to The Sheiling Cottage. Take a left here and after about 1.5 miles you’ll reach Watermeetings where Annick Water and the Glazert Burn join. Follow straight ahead past Langlands Farm and across the B769 to another T junction. Take a left here passing Aulton, crossing Alton Bridge then High Langmuir and down into Kilmaurs.
https://strava.app.link/iwemgEMKEub
10/11/2022
Kilmalcolm circular walk, about 8 miles. https://strava.app.link/XXfhqzXiQub
Route starts and finishes in Kilmalcolm. It’s along cycle Route 75, to Bridge of Weir. This was the Glasgow to Kilmalcolm line which closed in 1983. About half way along there is option of a detour to Quarriers Village, a former orphanage and returning back to cycle track.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quarrier%27s_Village
Leave cycle track at Bridge of Weir and continuing along A761 then right onto B790 and after a short distance left onto Warlock Rd. Follow this till junction with Kilallan Rd. Take left turn and follow to Golf Course. Just past this is right hand turn to signposted Glen Moss nature reserve https://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/reserve/glen-moss/
Once through the reserve take left hand path back down into Kilmacolm.
09/11/2022
Kilwinning To Glengarnock via Blair Estate
Kilwinning To Glengarnock
https://strava.app.link/m0kSAPfzcub
From Kilwinning station following road into town past College then pick up cycle 7 route signposted Glengarnock and Glasgow. Follow this route along left bank of R Garnock crossing over it on old Caledonian Viaduct, which was part of old Ayrshire and Lanarkshire Railway. Route follows cycle track north on minor road to entrance to Blair Castle and Estate, now owned by Hunter Foundation
https://blairestate.co.uk
There is about a 2k walk through grounds to north lodge exit. Turn right here and head along to another T junction and take left hand road back onto cycle track. Follow this for about a kilometre to Highfield interchange. Take B707 for a short distance then take first left along past Wheatyfauld farm then left past West Muirhouse to The Den then cross A737 and take left track down to Auchengree Farm Shop and Café
https://www.auchengreefarmshop.co.uk
From here follow National Cycle Route 7 again downhill to Glengarnock Station
Check out my walk on Strava.
https://strava.app.link/m0kSAPfzcub
07/11/2022
Lochwinnoch to Kilbarchan Circular
https://strava.app.link/YEtRfLPWrub
An 11 mile route, mainly on the flat, starting and finishing at Lochwinnoch station.
From station take path past RSPB centre to Castle Semple Loch then follow National Cycle Route 7 along route of old Dalry and north Johnstone railway which closed to passenger traffic in 1966. https://www.railscot.co.uk/companies/K/Kilbarchan_Loop_Glasgow_and_South_Western_Railway/
Route passes the ruin of 16th century Castle Semple Collegiate Church. Now under care of Historic Scotland
https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/castle-semple-collegiate-church/
A few miles after the Church take the route on left signposted for Kilbarchan. Located here is the
NTS Weavers Cottage. The Cottage vividly re-creates the living and working conditions of a typical handloom weaver.
https://www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/weavers-cottage
Head downhill on Church St. then take a right turn heading uphill on Burntshields Rd. This passes the Glentyan Estate https://rlhf.info/glentyan-estate-kilbarchan/
on the right.
About 2k further on at a crossroads take left hand road downhill to another junction at Bride’s Mill Bridge. Cross over and heading past North Gates and Shields Holdings heading down to Low Semple and looping back on to cycle track at the Collegiate Church. Take immediate left down to Loch and return to Visitor Centre along Loch side then take return route to Station.
