Orkney U3A | Blog

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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 Photo Group One - April 2024 u3a Walking Group One - March 2024 u3a Walking Group 2 - March 2024 u3a Photography Group One - February 2024 u3a Walking Group One - February 2024 Index

U3A Botany Group - July 2019 (2)

by Margaret Rinder - 18:37 on 17 July 2019

We met at Olad summit and had a long session looking at verges and along part of the cliff SSSI. Either place alone could have filled our time. The main focus was to see Fragrant Orchid and Hemp Agrimony, and we succeeded in this. Fragrant orchids and Northern Marsh Orchid were spotted along the road and track verges, along with Twayblade, and many other more common plants. We then drove up the Ward Hill track and walked via the active quarry -with John negotiating the electric fence and cows, to climb over a gate on to the cliffs. Our first Hemp Agrimony was a single plant in the old quarry, which also yielded Butterwort and our first Golden Rod - we found more of these along the cliffs.Looking over the cliffs, John spotted large areas of Hemp Agrimony growing very low down. We also came across a good clump on our grass path back, all these were just starting to flower. Some grasses were examined, and John pointed out the difference between the leaves of Meadow and Creeping buttercup. Thank ytou all for your input.

Here is the list of what we saw, with apologies for any ommissions:-

Orchids - Fragrant, Northern marsh, Heath Spotted

Buttercups - Meadow, Creeping

V etches - Bush, Kidney, Meadow vetchling

Sorrel, Nettle, Broad leafed Dockan

Daisy, Dandelion, Cats Ear, White and Red Clover, Yarrow

Birds Foot Trefoil, Tormentil, Silverweed, Ragwort, Self Heal,

Twayblade, Heath Bedstraw, Lady's Bedstraw, Fairy Flax, Lady's smock,

Butterwort, Golden Rod, Red Campion, Sea Pink, Primrose, Creeping Willow

Eyebrights -Arctic and one other species, Marsh Marigold, Bog Pondweed, Common Cotton Grass

Crowberry, Bell Heather, Cross Leafed Heath, Ling, Lesser Trefoil, Coltsfoot, Yellow Rattle, Hogweed, Bog Asphodel

Marsh Thistle, Creeping Thistle, Devil's Bit Scabious, Sea Mayweed, Pineapple Weed, Ragged Robin

Lousewort, Sow Thistle, Mouse-eared Chickweed, Smooth Lady's Mantle,Marsh Horsetail, Angelica

Plantains - Sea and Ribwort

Grasses - the 2 colours of Yorkshire Fog grass, Downy oak grass, and others!

One Prunus species

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