Please take a photograph of your group "in action." Don't forget to ask for permission from everyone for the photo to be published on the web. Then email it to the address below and we will upload it to the gallery.
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.
Botany Group - July 19th Outing
by Peter - 10:41 on 20 July 2016
Botany Group – July 19 th Outing
Six members of the group met up at the Burwick car park on the afternoon of 19 th July, a gloriouswarm and sunny day. We spent some time looking around the rough ground in that area, as well aswalking a short distance round the headland and up the coast to the north. A lot of plants wereflowering and the area round the car park was also alive with common blue butterflies. Having JohnCrossley amongst us, we also encountered and learnt about a variety of grasses and sedges. Ourmost unusual discovery was a patch of purple toadflax, a recent arrival in Orkney, only found in this area.
Following this we spent a short time on the far side of the bay from the harbour admiring theparticularly large mat of oysterplant found there. We then repaired to John’s house where we wereintroduced to two unusual species of fumitory and entertained to a welcome cup of tea.
PLANTS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED
Kidney vetch, Northern marsh orchid, Red clover, Sea mayweed, Ragged robin, Angelica, Meadow buttercup, Daisy, Glaucous sedge, Bird’s foot trefoil, White clove, Thrift, Tormentil, Lesser spearwort, Colt’s-foot, Rosebay willowherb, Sea plantain, Spring squill, Ribwort plantain, Arctic eyebright, Common mouse-ear, Sorrel, Spear thistle, Prickly sow-thistle, Bell heather, Crowberry, Ling, Orache sp., Greater sea spurrey, Red campion, Marsh willowherb, Cross-leaved heath, Purple toadflax, Cock’s foot, Common bent-grass, Tufted hair-grass, Yorkshire fog, Common sedge, Common horsetail, Meadowsweet, Blue lupin, Stag’s horn plantain, Greater plantain, Glaucous dog rose, Lady’s bedstraw, Scots borage, Oysterplant, Yellow rattle, Sea sandwort, Silverweed, Cleavers, Tufted vetch, Purple ramping-fumitory, Dense-flowered fumitory.
Add your comment