An oh so Semple weekend

I was intending to see the World Pipe Band Championships over the weekend at Glasgow Green, but waking on Saturday morning, we changed our minds. Not only was the weather ominous, there had been some sort of lurgie doing the rounds of the house overnight that left AB and I with headaches on Saturday morning. Not alcohol related, I promise.

Anyhoo, we decided that weather notwithstanding, Saturday looked relatively nice enough to head out and go for a hike. We figured that in addition to a few Panadol, the fresh air may do wonders for our headaches. And the hike may do wonders for our waistlines. Or something. So we headed for Lochwinnoch, a town about 15 minutes from where we live.

Since our arrival in Scotland, we have been to Lochwinnoch a number of times. It is a very popular site for watersports like kayaking and windsurfing. We are clearly more 'kiosk and gift shop' sort of gals, and fortunately Lochwinnoch doesn't let us down there either.

The other reason we have been to Lochwinnoch has been to seek out a heritage site called Castle Semple Collegiate Church, more to cross it off in our tourism book than anything else really. But looking more closely at the hike path signs a few weeks ago, we realised that the Castle Semple site is actually a 4 mile hike from the watersports park where you first arrive. But on Saturday, 4 miles didn't sound so far, and we were up for it. So off we went.

Four miles into the (fortunately) very easy hike, we came across Castle Semple's church, hidden on a farm property and in pretty ramshackle condition, as you'd expect. Olden-day gravestones and all.

But the best bit? When we got back to the car to enjoy our restorative thermos of coffee, no sooner had we shut our doors than the rain came pouring down. It was very amusing to watch the kids doing archery scramble to get out of the downpour, leaving one poor fella to pack up all the bows and arrows by himself. Champagne comedy.