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 Rousay Ramble
by Admin - 21:56 on 23 June 2014
The Sunday ferry timetable isn’t particularly generous for visitors wishing to go to Egilsay, so our plant-hunting trip headed off to explore the Frotoft area of Rousay instead.
John Crossley wanted to update records for a particular 2km grid, and 6 pairs of eyes soon picked out lovely flowers for the list. One particular stretch of roadside verge was a treat – about 20 species plus 5 grasses, in a length of no more than 3 metres, and there were orchids a-plenty in an adjacent field.
We climbed up above Yarso along an absolutely stunning hill track, admiring ferns, brambles and horses! along the way. We heard (and saw) a family of stonechats, found several moth species and noted how the habitat changed as we went higher. Our lunch spot had a great view across Eynhallow to Gairsay, Kirkwall and even Mull Head in the distance.
Although we failed to re-find any of the 3 recorded sites for Wild Strawberry, we did locate 2 other ‘target’ species (a grass and a sedge).
We carried on up to Blotchnie Fiold, but by now the weather was closing in, and low cloud made continuing to Knitchen Hill less attractive, so we went down behind Trumland House to look at trees. A sit down and cup of tea at the Craft Hub was most welcome before catching the ferry back to Tingwall.
We had a total of 134 flowering plant species for the square covered – without straying into mosses and lichens as well. Good company, a good walk and scenery: a most enjoyable day!
Add your comment