ARCHIVE - WALKING GROUP
2021
27 November
In spite of Storm Arwen having wreaked havoc the previous day, the walkers woke to a lovely, calm sunny morning on Saturday 27 November 2021 and were able to meet at Kirkintilloch and take the path to Milton of Campsie. We stopped there and enjoyed lovey breafast rolls at the Fells Cafe before walking back to Kirkintilloch.
1 November 2021
On Saturday 30 October, 2021 we left town and headed for Cumbernauld. Our walk began in Craighalbert Drive, near the Mosque and we followed part of the Via Flavii, a former Roman way and one of the main routes for droving cattle. We walked down through the Community Park to Aria, the steel sculpture seen from the A80 before returning through the Community Park to the parking area near the Mosque. There were several lovely views along the way and we were particularly lucky weather-wise and got most of the walk while it was dry. The walk was very interesting and enoyable and one which we will repeat at some point in the future so don't be too disappointed if you missed it this time around. It was also good to share more fun and chat over tea/coffee and scones in the tea room at Caulder's Garden Centre.
We plan our next walk for Saturday 27 November 2021, meeting at Lidl's car park in Kirkintilloch at 10.00am when we will follow a path leading to Milton of Campsie where we will have a tea/coffee stop before returning to Kirkintilloch. Anyone requiring transport should contact any Mission Group member. We welcome new walkers to join us and share the friendship and fun we have as we explore lovely walks in our area.
2 October 2021
On Saturday 2 October 2021, nine members of the Walking Group met for the first walk in just over a year and 8 months. The weather forecast was for heavy rain but we were lucky to wake up to a dry morning with even a hint of blue sky. We walked from the Church to Colzium via the Burngreen. We kept to the main path up to Colzium House before making the return journey. A number of us the went to the Scarecrow for tea/coffee and scones. It was just so good to meet up in person and enjoy a lovely walk in the company of friends we had not seen for a very long time.
Our next walk is planned for Saturday 30 October 2021 and we will meet near the Mosque in Craighalbert Drive, Cumbernauld at 10.00am for a new walk in that area. If anyone requires transport please contact us.
June 2021
We continue to "meet" over Conferoo and chat about the walks we are enjoying individually. We hope that perhaps later in the summer we may be permitted to have a group walk. You may have been enjoyng walks during the lockdown period and would like to have the company of others. If so, please contact any Mission Group member. We will have details of planned walks included in the Intimations and also in Contact. This is a lovely group and you will be made very welcome if you decide to come along for some easy walking in good company, with a tea/coffee stop included where possible.
Garrell Burn at Allanfauld, 22 May 2021
May 2021
The Walking Group continues to keep in touch "meeting up" courtesy of Conferoo. We are still unable to meet as a group due to the Covid restrictions but we have been able to chat about the walks we have done individually and plan for group walks hopefully in the not too distant future; perhaps even after the next Scottish Government review.
The group is open to all and we hope, as well as welcoming back current members, we will be able to welcome newcomers to enjoy some of the lovely walks we have in the area along with the chat and coffee stops.
February 2021
Along with many others, members of our Walking Group have been enjoying their own individual walks around the lovely local areas. Because of the necessary restrictions, we cannot join as a group for our walks but we did join, again over "Conferoo" on 25 January 2021 to chat about the different paths we have found and ones we have rediscovered. We look forward, when the time is right to meeting up as a group with hopefully some new members when, together, we will enjoy the pleasure of walking with friends along the lovely paths around our town.
The Mission Group encourages everyone to be patient and to follow the advice we are being given to keep us safe an well until that day when we can, more freely, meet up in person with one another.
The Lade Path heading to Colzium
January 2021
Happy New Year to everyone! The days are getting longer and there is a lot of light at the end of this long tunnel. We can almost dare to hope now that we will get back to walking in the company of one another, at some point in the hopefully not too distant future.
In the meantime, it will be good to have the opportunity to have another chat over Conferoo and I hope you will be able to join a call on Monday 25 January at 7.30pm to catch up with one another. The usual number is either 03300 883434 or 0345 388 7442 using pin no 462824.
Best wishes to all, from Lora.
2020
December 2020
Hi everyone, hopefully you are all keeping well. We are all a bit weary about the restrictions on our lives but the news of a vaccine is very welcome and exciting and gives us hope that we may return to some form of normality in the not too distant future.
As it is some time since we last met and it will be a bit of time before we are out in the walking group again, I thought it would be good for us to meet up over Conferoo to hear about the walks we have had and just generally catch up with one another. I hope Thursday 19 November at 7.30pm will suit and I suggest we sit down then with a tea or coffee and visualise we are in a coffee shop somewhere after a nice walk. We have to dream.
If you want to join in please dial 033 00 88 34 34 using pin no 46 28 24 anytime from 7.20-7.30 to join in the call. You may wish to invite other walkers to join us - all welcome. Look forward to hearing from everyone on Thursday.
Best wishes to all, from Lora.
March 2020
In view of the severity of the Coronavirus situation, it has been decided to cancel all our events planned over the next few weeks. This includes the walking group which was due to meet on this date. The next date will be posted here.
Due to Storm "Dennis" although nine keen members of the group met as usual, it was agreed that it wasn't suitable walking weather for everyone. So, we all decided instead to have coffee/tea in the Coachman Hotel with either breakfast or scones which was enjoyed by everyone.
During the winter months, it has been suggested that 10.15am would be a more suitable starting time therefore the next walk, scheduled for Saturday 14 March, will meet at The Coachman at 10.15am. As usual, all welcome to join us (hopefully the stormy weather will have passed by then).
January 2020
For our first walk of 2020, we chose to walk around Banton Loch. The main reason for choosing to do this walk was because of the pavements being very icy and decided that the rough paths would be safer. It was a good decision as it was a great walk and we had a lovely time over tea/coffee and scones in the Coachman when we returned.
2019
23 November
On a rather dreich November morning, the group agreed to do a local walk rather than walk from the Falkirk Wheel as originally planned. We parked the cars at Auchinstarry Marina and walked along the tow-path until we reached Dullatur Road then climbed the steep hill on to the path above the canal and returned back to the Boat House. All ten who braved the Scottish weather then enjoyed a warming cup of tea or coffee. Another enjoyable short walk in the fresh air.
19 October
Again, there were nine of us walking this time in the opposite direction from last month. This walk, alongside the River Glazert, is also part of the Thomas Muir way/John Muir way. As we neared the road which would lead to Lennox Castle, the former psychiatric and maternity hospital, we came across an "artwork" displaying the woman's name "JESSIE" in vibrant yellow metal.
This and several other artworks have been commissioned by "Trails and Tails" with the work being carried out by Jacqueline Donnachie. These works commemorate the work of women in health and medicine who have associations with East Dunbartonshire through education, working life or residence. As there are no public dedications to these women, these artworks fill that void. This added a different dimension to our October walk!
21 September
On a beautiful September morning, 9 of us travelled to Lennoxtown and then walked along the former railway line to Milton of Campsie. We stopped for refreshments at the very busy cafe at the cross before returning to Lennoxtown.
The Campsie Fells were particularly beautiful and as we welcomed a new member to our group who has relocated from Wales, it was most enjoyable.
31 August
A group of 11 dedicated walkers travelled to Milton of Campsie (rain pouring down); had our refreshments and the sun came out - hey presto, let's go for a walk!
Along part of the disused railway line towards Kirkintilloch - a most enjoyable walk - it could only happen in Scotland.
3 August
We had a lovely walk from the Boat House car park up part of Croy Hill and back round to the Boat House along the canal path. The weather was lovely and we were able to sit outside in the sunshine enjoying tea/coffee and scones.
6 July
We had a great walk starting from the Falkirk Wheel. Thanks to Grace and Jane for leading us round and arranging the lovely weather! This will possibly be a walk to be repeated another time.
8 June
The walk was very enjoyable with the weather being much better than we were led to expect. The walk was from Kirkintilloch to Milton of Campsie where we had a stop for tea/coffee before returning to Kirkintilloch.
May
On 4 May, 14 walkers enjoyed a lovely four mile walk around the Dumbreck Marsh, ending at the Scarecrow for tea/coffee, scones and a chat.
The next walk on Saturday 8 June will be from Lidl, Kirkintilloch to Milton of Campsie, with a stop at Billingtons before returning to Kirkintilloch.
This part of the walk is named Balcastle Farm Woodland Trail and shows some of the group walking towards Kilsyth, with the Northfield area in the distance.
April
The first walk of the year was on Saturday 6 April 2019. We met at 10.30 in the Coachman car park and walked out to Colzium Estate stopping at the Visitor Centre for tea/coffee. We had a further walk around part of the estate before making our way back to the Coachman car park. We all thoroughly enjoyed the walk and chat along the way even although the weather wasn't too kind to us.
2018
September
On Saturday 8 September, 8 of us met at the church hall before heading off in cars to Twechar. The weather was dry although a slight nip could be felt in the air - autumn time!
The canal path is very good - easy walking with no pot-holes. Without realising it, most of us agreed it took longer than we thought so by the time we reached Scintillation, a cup of coffee was very welcome. As a point of interest, about two thirds along the way is the site of Auchendavy Fort which was part of the Antonine Wall. It would have been nice to see this site but the hedgerow obscured our vision. We did, however, see a couple of swan families and also the Gypsy Princess barge at Kirkintilloch with a few passengers! All agreed this was a good walk albeit longer than normal - we had all heated up by now!
August
On Saturday 4 August, on rather a dreich day approximately twelve of us walked from the Marina along the side of the canal to the Dullatur road and return to the Boathouse for coffee/tea!
July
Our July walk saw us walking along the path following the old railway line from Lennoxtown. It was a very pleasant walk in lovely weather with some lovely views along the way. We finished up sitting in the gardens at Glazert Bank Hotel having tea and coffee.
June
The Walking Group had a lovely walk in the sunshine on Saturday 9 June 2018. We walked from Lidl’s car park in Kirkintilloch to Milton of Campsie where we enjoyed tea/coffee and goodies sitting outside at Billington’s before returning to Kirkintilloch along the same path. We had 3 new members with us who all enjoyed the walk and the company.
