Glenbuck

 We decided on an afternoon out...and decided to visit Glenbuck, somewhere we have been driving past for many years! It is almost at the border of Ayrshire, 1km north of the A70, by the loch that is the source of the River Ayr.

You turn up a lane that sends its way by a burn up between bings (old spoil tips), then arrive at a bare car park. Although it is only thirty years since the last people left, there is nothing left of the village. 

The lumps of good coal had to be picked out and the workers who performed that task were known as cherry pickers...hence the name for the football team!

It was cheering to see no vandalism atall.

Sad to think that at the time that Huguenot protestant refugees were being welcomed, Covenanters were being killed for their Protestant religion.

I took a 360⁰ view...

Part of the church returned

And I think the houses were where that clump of trees is, by a pond that was the curling pond in the winter.

We chose the shortest walk.two miles...around the site, which is being possibly earmarked for planting trees. You couldn't grow any decent pasture there.

And below the ironstone quarry

We met two people whose parents lived in Glenbuck...now they live in Cumnock not too far away. Bill Shankly's sister taught them in school in Muirkirk, the nearest big village.

Then away on the road again..

Past the loch where the river Ayr rises 

And over hills of the Southern Uplands to Sanquhar..where we found that Monday is not a good day for shops, cafés or galleries...even on a Bank Holiday!!

But we will return...as the gallery café A' the Airts...(All the Arts) has good work, Coffee and cake...