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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 Botany Group - 14 Sept. 2021
by Phylida Wright - 16:02 on 17 September 2021
Caroline Melody does not need to go to the seaside for her holidays as she lives right on the shore in Orphir. It was this proximity to the sea that kindled her desire to learn more about seaweed. What an exponent of them she is, extolling their nutritious proponents (minerals, trace elements...) as well as the benefits of seaweed baths, where the gel from the plant leaves the skin feeling very soft.
As someone who does not like sea swimming because of the thought of the slimy weeds there-in, and not being a great “ food for free”forager you may think me an unlikely candidate for this outing but Caroline filled the 11 of us gathered at Birsay with such enthusiasm and delight that I might even open the “seaweed and eat it” book that has been sitting neglected amongst my recipe books for some years.
Caroline explained that all seaweeds are edible, either dried or raw and she brought with her a jar full of different kinds for us to try.( I have memories of the Japanese exchange teacher who stayed with us in the 1980s making tuna rice balls wrapped in seaweed for our tea). Caroline also told us that in order to dry seaweed it should only be rinsed in salt water and hung to dry on a line out of the sun. Cut it whilst it is still damp.
Seaweeds come in 3 different colours : Brown, Green and Red and are made up of 3 different parts Hold fast, Stipe (stalk) and Blade , the latter being the main part. Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish these. In addition they grow in different areas of the shore and some can tolerate exposure during different states of the tide
We were sent out to collect samples for identification. Within a short time we had amassed several bundles.
Brown proved to be the predominant colour. The most impressive of these , because of their length, were the Laminaria: Sugar Kelp, Finger Kelp and Oar Weed. The latter (Tangles) used to be collected in Orkney for the alginate industry. Four wracks were also identified: Bladder, Saw Tooth, Channelled and Twisted.
Of the green varieties we found both Sea Lettuce (Ulva) and Gutweed which is one cell thick and tubular .
Dulce , which grows on other weeds, was the only truly red seaweed we found. Elizabeth also found Laver (which looks more brown than red admittedly) This is used in the making of Laver bread. Irish Moss which Graham told us was used by Brewers to clear beer was also found.
So we collected at least 12 different varieties in a very short space of time and they were abundant! In addition Caroline had brought a very nice example of channelled wrack which was attached to a stone.
We spent a wonderful hour in glorious sunshine. Caroline fired us up with her enthusiasm and at least one couple went home with samples to try!
It was lovely to be joined by new members especially Elizabeth all the way from Westray. She sent me great photos of seaweeds which she’d found at Deerness in the afternoon!
I am grateful to both Jenny and Chris for the photos.
Huge thanks to Caroline for sharing her knowledge and enthusiasm with us.
What a wonderful outing for our final one of the year.
I f you find errors in this blog they are all my own!
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