Mauchline and Robert Burns

Dashed chilly this morning , -4C when we decided to set off to visit Mauchline, Ayrshire, home of Mr & Mrs McNair, parents of Carolanne , but also where Robert Burns, The bard, lived and farmed.

We headed across country via Carnwarth and onto the A70, through the moors and past the old mining villages, the River Clyde, and into New Cummnock before reaching Mauchline.

Gangus and his wife Jean were waiting for us, and after a cuppa, introductions to the two greyhounds, and a lecture on the wallpaper, we set off on a tour of the area.

The Burns Tower and museum is being renovated for next years 250th anniversary, then along the road only about 400 yards to Mossgiel Farm where he farmed for two years. The cairn by the roadside commemmortes his living there and is also to mark the annual Ploughing match which will take place again on 29th March 2009.

In the farm lands there will also be a special weekend of events on 24th, 25th and 26th July 2009 - two Burn's suppers and a ceilidh - which will be attended by visitors from all over the world.

We then headed through country lanes to Tarbolton past the Masonic Lodge there where Burns was a member, then by the Batchelors Club (now modernised) and back into Mauchline.

We parked up and abandoned Mrs. Mac. in the car to listen to the Hearts v Rangers match, then headed through the woods and past Gavin Hamilton's House where Burns and Jean Armour were married. Then into the house where they rented an upstairs room for two months from a local tailor. In that room Jean gave birth to twins however the babies died shortly after birth.

The room is as it might have been when they lived there. The building is now a small museum with a good display and an audio visual presentation with music and poetry.

Being worried about Mrs. Mac we had to cut short the visit and headed back, past Poosie Nansies pub , the statue of Jean Armour, and retrieved Mrs Mac who had the shock score Hearts 2 Rangers 1 .

Then it was another cuppa before heading home in freezing fog via Galston, Strathaven, Carluke,Carnwarth where for a change we took the "Lang Whang @ Chinese Highway" to Balerno and Currie
before reaching home. Round trip of 156 miles.