We hope this section will carry brief reports of formal and informal Club outings and activities. Please feel free to add comments and information.
A Day on Hoy
by Jenny - 18:19 on 05 October 2015
With a reasonable forecast for the weekend of 26th September, we put out a last-minute invitation to members to go for a late summer trip to Berriedale and Hoy. Although the day remained cloudy, it was dry and mild and Hoy worked its usual magic.
After taking the minibus to Rackwick, we walked back along the path, setting off by Brian’s new cross-country route to Berriedale wood, spotting a small frog along the way. As always this lovely native woodland, with its gnarled Birch and Rowan trees, was full of interest, with lichens, fungi, flowering Honeysuckle, Blaeberry and Aspen leaves changing to autumn hues. We couldn’t see any nuts on the two Hazel trees and the rose hips were late ripening this year.
From near the waterfall, we scrambled up the side of the gulley and headed ontothe hilltops and towards various pools where we found Sparganium angustifolium (Floating Bur-reed) with its narrow leaves spread out in amazing patterns across the surface of the water.
Other interesting finds included both species of Bearberry (Arctostaphylos alpina, looking stunning in its red autumn colours and A.uva-ursi in its shinier green foliage). We also found Bog Blaeberry (Vaccinium uliginosum), numerous small prostrate Junipers and the tiny Dwarf Willow (Salix herbacea).
Then we took the steep slopes down and walked gradually back to Moaness in time for a stroll on the beach before taking the boat back to Stromness.
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