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 Photo Group One - August 2021
by Tim Wright - 18:47 on 04 August 2021
Thirteen of us met at Northside in Birsay this morning .The weather in Kirkwall had been sunny but by the time we arrived at the Geo it was raining .Nothing daunted we all set off with a list of 8 things,provided by Tom , to look for and photograph . These included a blade of grass ,bruck,a gate,a fence plus a bird .Last but by no means least was a Lighthouse .The latter was rather difficult to see on the Brough through the rain .There were some lovely gates up at the parking place and a variety of Birds on the rocks and fences .Millions of blades of grass were available some with drops of rain on them .The Recycling Lorry was doing a collection up the road just as some of us were walking down so Bruck was covered . The final two items were easy as they were Geology and a Wave which aren't difficult to see from the cliffs .After half an hour the rain gave up making it reasonably pleasant when we had our picnic lunch in the field down by the Geo . However just as we finished our picnic, the rain resumed and we called it a day .However ,photography in a place with what looked like little to snap at first , in fact produced some interesting and challenging opportunities. I await everyone's contributions for the compilation before the Lairg trip in mid September .Closing date for submissions 1 st September .
Don't for get the Project "Fruit and /or Vegetable"
Keep clicking , Tim
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