October 20, 2025
Just south of Dunure in February 2017, the original Smugglers Brae grass track, (which in winter was turning into a dangerous slippery slope), was tackled by a big squad of Pathminders who, over 100m of steep slope, and several weeks of hard work, erected 35 step risers (from old sleepers carted up from Turnberry GC), and created a non-slip path tread using five tonnes of whinchips carried up on their shoulders in rubble bags.
However, despite summer strimming, interrupted by Covid, over the past 3-4 years these steps have gradually and sneakily become overgrown with mats of a low creeping grass and big tussocks of crowsfoot grass - that finally and almost completely smothered the gravel path and all the step risers - and were effectively creating a potentially serious safety hazard for walkers.
So, a priority call to take action on 17 Oct 2025, during the good weather, was answered promptly by an A-team of hard-grafters - when Dave G, Mike S, Kevin F, Tom M, and Martin M, joined Jimmy in a bit of heavy path ‘gardening,’ and all this vegetation was howked and hauled and hurled doun the brae along with rakefuls of bracken, gorse, and thorny brambles. All in all, in just three hours we managed to clear two-thirds of the entire path back to its pristine, metre-wide whin chip surface - as well as still having enough time for our reviving piece break and a guid blether.
And despite all the pechin and gruntin, believe it or not, everyone to a man volunteered what a great time they’d had, and how much they’d enjoyed the hard graft.
Next week, weather permitting, we’ll be back to finish the job. So why not join us!
