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.
PHOTOGRAPHY GROUP 1 - September 28
by Tim Wright - 16:23 on 28 September 2017
Ten of us made our way up to HMS Tern for a tour with Andy Holindrake and what an excellent tour it was .It remained dry and the occasional sunny periods helped to give an atmospheric feel to the old wartime airfield . We were shown around the buildings and the layout of the airfield was explained .Numerous maps and photos of the various structures gave an excellent insight as to what it must have looked like when operational. The star of the show was the Control Tower with its integral Operations Centre ,an unusual design as they were usually in separate buildings .The cinema with it's projection holes ,stage and box office was easily recognizable and was where many wartime stars had appeared .Finally,a varied display of aircraft bits ,some from crashed aircraft,as well as other wartime memorabilia were viewed in the fire engine shed . Time had flown and we had to rush to get to our lunch at the Orkney Brewery.Many thanks to Andy for such an engrossing tour .
After an excellent meal ,we viewed three lots of photographs from each member . Papa Westray produced a lot of good photos with the birds,particularly the Puffins to the fore .The Knap of Howar featured heavily and an excellent B+W version caught the eye .Other subjects included the Airfield ,a striking yellow door ,bicycles stacked up for visitors and interiors and exterior shots of St Boniface Church.All in all a reminder of a lovely day out all those weeks ago .
The last meeting was a day trip to Flotta. We had taken 3 cars across to get around on a day of sun . Heavily featured in the photos were the Oil Terminal ,particularly the silver pipes of the processing centre ,and the Flare, looking great against a blue sky . The Rocket Launching site had lots of shapes to play with and one made an interesting frame for the Flotta Flare . Stanger Head was extensively pictured along with the scarecrow (?) on his tractor complete with luminous jacket and bottle . The church and grave yard featured too as did the Penguins and the school mural . Plenty to have kept us going for even another day too.
The project had been "Summertime " set some three months before . What a selection of summer photos from jazzy flip flops to walking in the Greek isles in the sun , flowers and flower gardens ,swimmers and ,unsurprisingly a windsurfer too . What a great summer everyone had had .
The next meeting is on Wednesday 25 th October at 10.30 at the Bay of Skaill meeting up by St Peter's Church .Lunch will be taken at a venue decided nearer the date when we find out where is open . The project this month is "Rubbish " (With or without added Rust ).
Keep clicking ,
Tim
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