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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 3
by Richard Thomas - 09:45 on 25 June 2012
22 JUNE 2012
We had an excellent meeting yesterday. Clive Chaddock came to talk to us and he went through elements of his life history with some ties into the plant world. I think that we all found it most entertaining and well worth it. Clive very kindly stepped in at short notice as our advertised speaker on George Brown had to stand down through sickness. All being well, that talk will now take place on Thursday 20 September. Clive did invite members who were interested to see the polytunnels and the Agronomy Institute to drop by on a Thursday afternoon before the College term starts again in late August.
The meeting was held in the MacGillivray room at the Library because the St Magnus Centre had been booked for the festival. The Committee had previously talked about an alternative venue for the General Meetings because the acoustics in the big room at the Centre are poor to the point of speakers needing a microphone to be heard properly. The enforced move gave us the chance of seeing how we managed in another venue and I’m bound to say that MacGillvray room won hands down – it’s comfortable, well lit and speakers can be heard without straining and artificial means. On a quick show of hands, all present preferred the MacGillvray room so, subject to availability, we will be moving there from September – the St Magnus Centre is booked for August. It does have a further advantage in that it is substantially cheaper than the St Magnus Centre and there is scope to store our tea and coffee.
There was a good article in the Orcadian yesterday from Ken which set out our stall and included a photograph of some members who braved the Caithness elements to look at some of the archaeological sites there. I hope we can make this a regular feature on the societies page of the paper.
Ken has very kindly offered to hold a barbeque at his house at East Breckan in Holm on Saturday 7 July from 5 to 9. Food will be provided although a cash contribution would be appreciated; bring your own liquids; and there will be musical entertainment too.
The Photography Group has been asked to put together an exhibition of photographs of the old parish Kirks of Harray, Sandwick, Birsay and Twatt for the new Kirk at Dounby for Dounby Show day opening on Thursday 9 August. It will be well worth a visit if you’re at the show or in Dounby round about that time.
We’re now in our summer recess and the next general meeting will be on 16 August when Billy Cardno will talk about sailing on north isles ferries.
Richard
22 June 2012.
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