Muirkirk

It was too glorious this morning to spend the day weeding so I got back on the bike for another explore.  This time I headed to Douglas and kepy going until I hit Muirkirk, then went north to Strathaven.  Some really beautiful roads and doing it anti-clockwise seemed to give me the better traffic.

Best finds of the day were Glenbuck loch which was super beautiful in the sun and had no one else around, and then encountering a man in Muirkirk with a red macaw on his arm wandering down the street. Not sure what was going on there and I didn't have the courage to ask, but not everyday you see a parrot going for a walk in Ayrshire.  

The buzzard count for this trip was three - one circling, one sat on a wall and the last flying directly overhead when I neared home.  Think I also spotted a couple of linnets and a lone green finch - I haven't seen one for them for a while!

Second spectacular site was coming out of the foresty wood round a corner and getting a stunning view of Glengavel Reservoir with Loudon Hill in the background.  Was a great route which I imagine I'll do again sometime. 

Once back in Strathaven I nipped to the farm and treated myself to a tub of mint choc chip from their ice cream vending machine.  Whoever had that idea needs a medal.

At home, I set to weeding the remainder of the driveway, but an hour and twenty minutes in, the rain came down heavily and I thought that was the universe's way of telling me to go get a bath, so that was what I did.

Blip is of the mural on the side of the Muirkirk pub which celebrates Tibbie Pagan who was a local landlady and poet, one of her poems was apparently taken up by Robert Burns and "improved" upon (the info sign's words, not mine).  Next to the mural is the memorial for the miners who died in the local pit - too many names on there.