Of geology and pakora!

We landed at Bracken Bay to the south of the Heads of Ayr. This area must be a geologist's paradise. The Heads are a well preserved lower carboniferous volcanic vent but these adjacent weathered cliffs...


..are composed of the most wonderfully coloured layers of sedimentary rocks, which appear to be sandstone on top of a conglomerate layer.


Relieved by our exploration of the geological features we made our way onwards to Ayr. Phil is as pleased as punch with his new Quest. Just as well, as it was to be well tested twice within the week.


On arrival at Seafield in Ayr, David rushed off to Ayr India to obtain supplies of Scotland's national snack...pakora. All that talk of once hot rocks had given us an appetite for some hot food! We ate with gusto, as the sun went down behind the Heads of Ayr.


From Maidens to Seafield is 20.5km. Tony and I hit 15.5km surfing on following seas in the section south of Dunure.

15/03/2009

Introduce a friend to sea kayaking week.

Just in case you did not know, it is "introduce a friend to sea kayaking week"! David and I took Keith out. The first section of our favoured "Three Castles" route was from Maidens to Culzean Castle and was suitably flat to learn about paddling.


After a lunch stop in Croy Bay (with a wet relaunch in the surf) the section up to Dunure Castle was thirst inducingly bumpy. So we stopped for a pint at the Anchorage Bar in Dunure. Keith was beginning to like this sort of exercise.


In fact by the time we reached our last landfall at Bracken Bay, under the Heads of Ayr, he did not want to stop. Unfortunately after passing Greenan Castle, we were soon back at Ayr just as darkness began to fall. I hope he will come again.

14/10/2007

Auld Ayr

Auld Ayr, wham ne'er a town surpasses,
For honest men and bonie lasses.
-Tam o' Shanter. Robert Burns



Not very good photos today. The weather in the West of Scotland remains atrocious. David and I took the Aleut double out for a short afternoon paddle of 12km. We launched at Seafield at the south of Ayr beach and taking advantage of the spring tide paddled up the River Doon to the weir. We then paddled up the Ayr esplanade (the clapotis was vicious) to the mouth of the Ayr and paddled up to its weir. Negotiating the harbour mouth was a bit tricky what with the spring ebb holding up the swell entering from the Firth of Clyde.







The Auld Brig o' Ayr was built in 1232. It has outlasted several "New Brigs". In 1786 a new brig was constructed. Burns wrote a poem: "The Brigs of Ayr". In it, the Auld Brig prophesies to the New: "I'll be a brig when you're a shapeless cairn". TheNew Brig collapsed in 1877.