SUMMER VISITORS

During the summer of 1989 there has been a considerable flow of Clan visitors to the castle and also, from time to time, organised parties who were not Clan members.

On IstJune the power stations at Hunterston, a mile to the south-west of the Castle, were visited by engineers from Germany.

At the request of the South of Scotland Electricity Board twelve ladies accompanying the German party visited the Castle, and were conducted over it by the Clan Archivist, Dr. Ted Patterson, and The Chiefs wife. The language barrier was broken down by Morag, a very able interpreter who had come across from the Scottish Tourist Board in Edinburgh.

Hunterston Castle, 1st June 1989. Visit of wives of the advisory Board of Necker Elektisztats Versand (Germany)

History was made on 19 August when around 95 members of Kilmarnock Glenfield Ramblers descended upon the Castle from two packed buses. Since only 20 persons can be taken around the Castle at any time, the tactical problem arose of what to do with the remaining 75 folk, the majority elderly ladies, particularly if it turned out wet.

Initially the group were herded into the courtyard, and the archivist, aided by Ian Menzies, spoke to them from the stone stair of North Cottage. The sea of interested faces became a sea of umbrellas as rain began.

It is on record that the Glenfield Ramblers, then a very young society, came to Hunterston on Saturday 15 September 1888, almost 101 years before. The visit was very fully reported in the 'Kilmarnock Standard'. They came by train to West Kilbride railway station, 'upwards of twenty gentlemen forming the party'. They were genuine ramblers then, and sturdy withaL First they looked at Law Castle, then went through the village and on to Portencross Castle, then north along the rocky shore 'botanising by the way'. After a tramp of fives miles they arrived at Hunterston Castle, where they were met by Colonel Hunter-Weston. Later they went to Hunterston House and 'were invited to the dining room, where they were received by the Colonel's lady, and kindly entertained to a sumptuous tea'.

Some of the ramblers hurried off to catch the 6.46p.m. train, the rest went on to Crosbie Castle, to arrive back in Kilmarnock a little before IOp.m.'.

No such unbridled energy was displayed in 1989, when members rambled for about 200 yards before scurrying back to the buses in search of tea in West Kilbride and a visit to the West Kilbride Museum.

Bob Hunter, Speed Skater, and visitor 7th November, 1989.

Other visitors included Dr. Nadene Hunter and her daughter, both of DANSVILLE and Catherine and David Elder of Chatham, Ontario.