Elevenses

Another healthy turnout on a beautiful, bright, crisp day, albeit with the thermometer still in low single figures. With 11 of us present and a noon start, Platform 22 was off the agenda and a journey east was mooted, although a few present warned against going to Drum Garden Centre where the Ladies' walking group were having their Christmas lunch. Milton got the nod instead.

Our route was along the Way and up through the West Gate and on to Hirn, then towards Drum, turning up the hill to the west of the Drum estate woods and then down to the Way again. John Morton took this team photo (without him in it) as we stopped at the Couper's Road junction:

l-r: Aidan Meehan (in non-regulation orange), Scott Hunter, Dick Taylor, Chris Low, John McWhinnie, Drew Leslie, John Larkin, Ian Stewart, Jeff Dickens and Jack Simpson

As we headed back west towards the Milton, the pace picked up and the peleton got a bit stretched. It seemed there was some kind of race on to be the first to be served by the lovely Gillian. On arrival at the Milton we discovered a funeral party in the conservatory and a fairly full main restaurant, but, fortunately, the former waiting area was unoccupied - ideal for our group:

Back row, l-r: Chris Low, Jack Simpson, Jeff Dickens, Drew Leslie, John Larkin, Adrian Meehan, John McWhinnie, Ian Stewart & Dick Taylor. Front left: Scott Hunter. Fron right: John Morton.

Strava shows 31 kms with 180 m of climbing.