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Walking Group One 25th April 2024
Five hardy souls collected today at Happy Valley for the first Hill Walk of the year .The temperature was cool with a North Easterly wind blowing and a hint of rain on arrival.
Off we set heading towards Russadale Quarry, spotting a Buzzard on the way.Turning into the footpath we remained sheltered from the wind all the way to the top of the hill.
The sun was out at the Quarry and a Greenshank was feeding at the edge of the Lochan. Then it was up the Peat road to the summit with spectacular views across Stenness and Harray Lochs, plus a view of the Closed Road beyond the Watch Stone. On the other side we looked over the Flow and down towards the Oil Platform and South Ronaldsay
Then it was back down after a stop for a snack and finally a walk around Happy Valley itself. The Daffodils planted by James and others were looking lovely and the Bluebells are days away from opening. Then it was on to a well deserved lunch at the Pier Cafe, having walked 4 miles and gone up 800 feet (and down again )
The next walk will be on Friday 24th May and hopefully more hills and views.
Keep moving.
CHAIRMAN'S BLOG 19
by Richard Thomas - 09:43 on 26 November 2013
CHAIRMAN’S BLOG 19
25 NOVEMBER 2013
We had two meetings last week – the Committee met on Wednesday 20th November and we had John Ross Scott at the General Meeting the next day, on the 21st.
The Committee meeting was largely a catch up on events.
We noted that there was not enough support to run a quiz before Christmas so that is on ice but as I’ve bought the questions, we can always do something on another occasion.
Kate is interested in starting a Writing Group but there was not much interest at the first try of publicising it. She has had another try via the website and Facebook (I think) and the response has been good.
Our finances remain healthy with a current balance of just under £950.
We are working to pull together next year’s programme. We have 6 slots filled with four more to settle. Our aim is to get a balance of interesting talks and presentations with the involvement of U3A members talking to the meetings wherever we can. All being well, we will have the programme ready for the AGM.
We had a fascinating talk from John Ross Scott on Thursday on how he juggles all his commitments from chairing the health board though editing Living Orkney to his amateur dramatics while still having a family life. He answered a number of questions including some on what is the burning issue of the day – Where will our new hospital be? It was greatly appreciated and our thanks go to him for sparing the time for us.
The only other thing I want to mention is that I stand down from the Chair at the AGM and we will need to find someone willing to stand. The work isn’t arduous – it’s chairing the general meetings and the committee, occasional forays to give talks to interested groups, working in liaison with the Scottish U3A as well as the national body, keeping up links with our neighbours across the Firth and further south. Apart from the formalities of being Chairman (I eschew the term Chair as I have a mild dislike of being sat upon), the other main activity is pulling the annual programme of events together. This does require a modicum of imagination, diplomacy and persuasive skills but once the programme is settled that is usually that although sometimes (not often) it does mean undertaking a bit of fast footwork to replace a speaker at short notice.
If anyone is interested please get in touch and at the same time can I remind you all that we are happy for any member to come along to one of our Committee meetings (the number would be limited for obvious reasons) to hear how we conduct our business.
Otherwise our next get together is the Christmas lunch on 12 December in the Kirkwall and I look forward to seeing as many of you as are coming then.
Richard, 25 November 2013.
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