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.
Photography Group One 1st May 2024
Ten of us met at the roadside Car Park in Finstown on a day with little wind and some low cloud but with the sun trying to get through. We set off to the Community Garden where we found lots of lovely colourful flowers out as well as tree buds bursting forth. The Burn was a great source of images.
Jocky Wood was painting a new picnic bench with the appropriately titled Wood Stain! He does a great deal of the work on the garden as well as his own just up the hill opposite.
Six of us then headed for Binsgarth Woods.
The track was muddy in places but the spring flowers were out all the way. There was Pink Purselaine, Wild Garlic, Wood Anemone, and the invasive Salmon Berry. Since the tree leaves were not blanketing the light, one was able to get good photos close up. The Burn had lots of interesting tree roots and hanging tyres and ropes from the kids' dare devil antics. Then it was back to the shop for rolls and along to Tom's house for a cuppa and a nice piece of cake. Thank you very much for that Tom and all the stories too.
The next meeting will be going to Westray on Wednesday 29th May for the day. Arrangement will be made nearer the time.
All in all a lovely morning, taking time to look at the flowers and listen to the Wrens, Willow Warblers, Chaffinches and Robins singing in the woods.
Keep clicking.
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.
U3A Photography Group One - August 2015
by Tim Wright - 13:09 on 28 August 2015
Seven of us got to St Margaret's Hope at 7.30 ready for the first ferry. The forecast was rain after lunch with a dullish morning. Some of us braved the sunshine deck to get good views of Switha and Cantick Light House but Dunnet Head was in sun, in the distance. We headed there from the boat and had spectacular views all around, in sun. Off then to the Castle Town Heritage Centre and a walk around the old Caithness sandstone slab works. The old harbour, from where the slabs were transported as far as Melbourne 100 years ago, held plenty for the photographer. There were lots of old boats, aged buildings and even a Sculpture Trail to snap. Lunch was taken at Sandside, with a view over Dounreay. The clouds were massing making for atmospheric photos and the rain started just as we finished picturing the little harbour there. We headed back to Mary Ann's Cottage at Dunnet, which proved to be a Croft Museum. It seemed to be cross between Corrigal and Kirbister Farm Museums but with a few differences, but mostly all rather familiar. Off to the Castle of Mey where the rain stopped and the sun came out. The gardens were beautiful and a credit to the gardeners although the veg were starting to go over. The tour of the Castle (no photography allowed) was one for ardent Royalists only and our group didn't seem to be. Tea was taken in the excellent cafe followed by a final stop at John O' Groats. We saw a couple of End to Enders arrive on their bikes, welcomed by their children and families. They just made it as the clouds again darkened and the rain came down, but not before we had managed fish and chips at the chip stall. One or two had to eat fast ! Then, back home on the Ferry and viewing of the the photos from the Ness of Brodgar outing to pass the time.
The Ness pictures seemed to fall into two categories. On the one hand, general views of the dig and on the other, candid portraits of the diggers. The latter proved the most interesting with a lot of different characters working very hard.
"Food/Drink" was the project and lots of beautiful meals, prize winners at the baking part of the shows as well as the contents of one person's drinks cupboard (that we were assured was a year's worth in the waiting !)
Next month's meeting will be on Wednesday 30th September at 2 pm at the Sands of Wright in South Ronaldsay, with tea to be taken at Hoxa Tea Rooms (if it is still open) or the Fossil Centre if not .
The project is "Decay /Destruction" so plenty of scope with autumn coming on and the flowers dying off, plus lots old buildings around falling apart.
Keep clicking,
Tim
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