St Leonard’s enjoy Loch Lomond trip
St Leonard’s Ramblers got the festive season off to an excellent start with the Christmas walk.
Dressed in Christmas jumpers and funny hats, members set off on the coach and headed north for the beautiful area around Loch Lomond.
The trip was made very pleasant by the passing round of home-made tablet, home-made truffles and other chocolates with amaretto.
morning stop was at Lomond Garden Centre.
The five-mile walk began in the small town of Milton of Buchanan, near Drymen. The walk is part of the West Highland Way, with a fairly steady uphill section for the first mile or so.
However, no one noticed the ascent because they were too busy trying to identify the Christmas songs being played along the way as part of the music quiz.
Members then headed into a soft track through Garadhban Forest and walked three miles in lovely, still weather.
The group stopped in a clearing for the obligatory photo shoot and a game of ‘Play Your Cards Right’. There were excellent views of Loch Lomond from this vantage point.
It was then time to head south towards Drymen, where the coach was waiting.
Everyone got changed into their Sunday best and were served a fourThe course meal at the Buchanan Arms Hotel. Needless to say, there were more than a few sleepy people nodding off on the bus on the way home.
The day was a great success and a fantastic way to round off another year of excellent hillwalking and companionship.
The first walk of the new year will be on Saturday, Janaury 7, 2017 and will be a seven-mile excursion from Slateford to Leith with a social stop in Leith at the end of the day.